Overview

• Patel was arrested in December 2023 after picking up a box he believed contained gold under law enforcement surveillance in Hillsborough County, Florida.
• He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering on December 23, 2024, admitting to his role in the operation.
• Call operators overseas impersonated US Treasury and other officials to coerce seniors into handing over cash or valuables under threat of arrest.
• During sentencing, one victim testified that the scam forced him to sell his home and rely entirely on Social Security after defaulting on his mortgage.
• The investigation was led by the US Secret Service alongside the Pasco and Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Offices and prosecuted by the US Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.