Two Sentenced in US $2M Senior, Business Email Fraud Schemes

Two men were sentenced for their roles in large-scale fraud schemes targeting U.S. victims. Pranav Patel, an Indian-origin man, received a 75-month prison sentence and was ordered to forfeit nearly $1.8 million for his involvement in a call center scam that defrauded senior citizens by impersonating government agents and threatening arrest if demands were not met. Meanwhile, Gabriel Waters of Ohio was sentenced to 57 months in prison and ordered to pay over $547,000 in restitution for his role in a wire fraud and money laundering scheme that used spoofed corporate emails to deceive businesses across the country, including in Mississippi, into wiring funds to fraudulent bank accounts. Waters facilitated the scheme by setting up U.S. bank accounts, laundering the money, converting it to cryptocurrency, and sending it overseas. Federal authorities emphasized their commitment to pursuing prosecutions against scammers victimizing American individuals and businesses and encouraged victims to report scams promptly to aid investigations and potential recovery of funds. Both cases highlight the ongoing threat of sophisticated fraud operations exploiting vulnerable populations and businesses through impersonation and electronic communication tactics.