A 21-year-old Indian national in the U.S. on a student visa has been sentenced to over eight years in federal prison for his role in a nationwide fraud scheme that targeted senior citizens.
Dhruv Rajeshbhai Mangukiya was sentenced to 97 months in prison this week by a federal judge in Austin, Texas. He pleaded guilty in June to a charge of conspiracy to commit money laundering as part of a plea agreement with federal prosecutors. Mangukiya was initially arrested at his New Jersey residence and charged with multiple counts tied to the scam.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Mangukiya participated in a sophisticated scheme in which he and co-conspirators used phishing tactics to identify potential victims, most of them elderly. The group would then contact the victims by phone, posing as representatives from Amazon Fraud or as federal agents, and falsely claim the victims were under investigation for financial crimes.
Victims were pressured into transferring funds through bank wires, cash deposits, or by handing over gold and other valuables. In some cases, couriers were sent to victims’ homes to collect the payments directly.
Federal authorities cited one instance where an elderly man was convinced his identity had been stolen and linked to cartel bank accounts. The scammers coerced him into sending $180,000 in payments. Another case involved a Fort Worth woman who was tricked into handing over $30,000.
Prosecutors identified the group’s courier as Kishan Rajeshkumar Patel, another Indian national, who is now serving a sentence of more than five years for his involvement. Court documents reference two additional suspects believed to be the leaders of the operation, but their names have not been disclosed.
Mangukiya’s sentencing marks a significant step in federal efforts to combat international fraud rings targeting vulnerable U.S. citizens. Authorities continue to investigate the broader network involved in the scam.
