Sohil Usmangani Vahora, a 39-year-old legal permanent resident from India, has been sentenced to 188 months (nearly 16 years) in federal prison for his role in a conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas announced Vahora’s sentence along with a restitution order of $3,541,258 to compensate dozens of victims, many of whom were elderly.
Vahora, a resident of Des Plaines, Illinois, pleaded guilty on October 23, 2023, to operating a fraudulent scheme that targeted elderly individuals across the United States. Between 2017 and 2020, Vahora managed a network of “runners” or domestic money mules who helped facilitate the scam. The call centers he worked with in India used deceptive scripts to impersonate law enforcement, convincing victims they were under investigation and urging them to purchase gift cards or mail cash packages in order to clear their names.
Vahora’s actions were deemed predatory, with more than 80% of his victims being older individuals. The fraud led to significant financial losses, and Vahora’s sentencing reflects the severity of the crime.
Co-conspirator Zaheen Rafikbhai Malvi, 30, from Heber Springs, Arkansas, pleaded guilty to similar charges earlier this year and is scheduled for sentencing on December 9, 2024.
