TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) — Two men are facing federal charges in connection with a large-scale money laundering operation tied to multiple scams affecting victims in Ohio, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.
Tejas Patel and Navya Bhatt are each charged with three counts of money laundering, authorities said. Federal investigators said the pair were involved in a variety of fraudulent schemes, including PayPal scams, Microsoft computer repair frauds, and Bitcoin-related cons.
According to court documents, victims were tricked into paying in gold bars, Bitcoin, or large sums of cash. One Toledo woman, for example, was scammed into giving more than $40,000 after the suspects falsely claimed to be with the Federal Trade Commission.
Bhatt is a student at the University of Toledo, the complaint notes.
Patel and Bhatt appeared in federal court on Jan. 30 and waived their preliminary hearings. Patel is scheduled for a detention hearing on Feb. 6, while Bhatt, who is under an ICE detainer, does not yet have another court date scheduled.
Authorities continue to investigate the full scope of the scheme and warn the public to be cautious of unsolicited calls or online offers promising quick financial returns.
