Category: Office of United States Attorneys

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

Fargo – Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Klemetsrud Puhl announced today that Ryan Cody Guy, age 46, from St. Michael, North Dakota, was sentenced before Chief United States District Judge Peter D. Welte to 63 months in federal prison for involuntary manslaughter.  Judge Welte also sentenced Guy to serve 3 years of supervised release following his incarceration and ordered him to pay restitution in the amount of $2,000. Guy pleaded guilty on March 10, 2025.

On February 26, 2022, Ryan Guy was driving a vehicle on the Spirit Lake Indian Reservation while intoxicated when he rolled it.  A passenger in the vehicle died as a result of injuries sustained in the rollover. Guy’s blood alcohol content was 0.164, over twice the legal limit under North Dakota state law.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the North Dakota Highway Patrol and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Richard Lee. 

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Source: Office of United States Attorneys

CARBONDALE, Ill. – Following an incident in Carbondale on Tuesday evening where criminals defaced a federal building, U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft and FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Johnson are vowing to protect law and order in southern Illinois.

“There are bright lines separating where speech ends and criminal conduct begins. Those who committed this targeted vandalism to federal property will be pursued and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “Our system protects good faith expressions of ideas and opinions, but it abhors lawlessness and violence. Any such criminality cannot, and will not, be tolerated.”

In the evening on June 10, individuals gathered outside the entrance of the Senator Paul Simon Federal Building in Carbondale. During the gathering, some members defaced the outside of the building, from which any damage is being assessed at this time.

“The Senator Paul Simon Federal Building’s houses multiple United States federal entities and has been located in the community since 1978. These offices employ dozens of local residents, and the tenants of this building deserve to go to work without fear or intimidation. The FBI Springfield Field Office respects the rights of individuals to peacefully exercise their First Amendment rights, but we will not tolerate individuals inciting violence or engaging in criminal activity and violating federal law. The individuals who defaced the building last night will be identified and charged, as well as those who aid and abet them,” said Christopher J.S. Johnson, the Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Springfield Field Office.

If you have any information about this incident, please call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) and reference “Carbondale Illinois Federal Building.” The operator will take down any information you have and contribute it to the investigation. 

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

ATLANTA – Mahlega Abdsharafat, also known as “Mallie Sharafat,” Creative Hospice Care, Inc., and affiliated companies (collectively, the “Creative Hospice entities”) have paid $9.2 million to settle allegations that Abdsharafat and the Creative Hospice entities entered into kickback arrangements with medical directors in exchange for referrals of hospice patients to Creative Hospice in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statue and the False Claims Act.  

“A physician’s health care decision should be based solely on the needs of the patient rather than the physician’s financial interests,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg.  “Health care providers who place unlawful personal gain above their duty of care to patients must be held accountable for their dishonesty.”

“Patients should not have to wonder if their doctors’ medical decisions are being driven by unlawful inducements,” said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown. “We will continue to hold accountable individuals, as well as companies, who participate in kickback schemes that threaten the integrity of our healthcare system.”

“Health care providers that participate in kickback schemes undermine the integrity of federal health care programs,” said Kelly Blackmon, Special Agent in Charge at the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG).  “This settlement demonstrates HHS-OIG’s unwavering commitment with our law enforcement partners to hold those accountable who put profit and personal gain ahead of the legitimate medical services.”

“Decisions regarding end-of-life care are incredibly difficult and personal, and families must be able to trust the intentions of their chosen providers,” said Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr. “Those who instead take advantage of the system for their own personal gain will be held accountable.”

The government’s investigation began when a former Creative Hospice employee responsible for marketing Creative Hospice’s services to health care providers filed a whistleblower complaint alleging that Creative Hospice paid kickbacks to medical directors to induce them to refer patients to Creative Hospice.  These alleged kickbacks included monthly stipends and a signing bonus paid to the medical directors.  The compensation allegedly increased when the medical director referred more patients and decreased when the medical director failed to make referrals.  Two additional whistleblower complaints were subsequently filed involving similar allegations.   

The Government alleges that these arrangements violated the Anti-Kickback Statute, 42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7b(b), and caused the submission of false claims in violation of the False Claims Act (FCA), 31 U.S.C. § 3729, et seq.

This settlement resolves three lawsuits brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the FCA in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia:  United States of America, ex rel. John Doe, et al. v. Homestead Hospice, et al., No. 1:15-cv-00840-TWT; United States of America and State of Georgia, ex rel. Cletus William Cole v. Homestead Hospice Management, LLC, et al., No. 1:22-cv-04242-MLB; and United States of America, ex rel. Renee Luchtman, et al. v. Homestead Hospice Management, LLC, et al., No. 1:21-cv-04952-TWT.

Under the FCA, whistleblowers, also known as “relators,” may bring suit for false claims on behalf of the United States and share in any recovery obtained by the government.  The relators who filed the three lawsuits against the Creative Hospice entities have received over $1.5 million from the settlement.

The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and the Medicaid Fraud Division of the Georgia Attorney General’s Office.

The investigation and resolution of this matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeli Ben-David and Georgia Senior Assistant Attorney General Sara Vann. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Akash Desai also worked on the investigation.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6280.  The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

Newark, N.J. – U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced charges today against thirty people for their respective roles in a drug trafficking organization that sold large quantities of controlled substances – including fentanyl and crack cocaine – in the area of the Kretchmer Homes housing complex along Frelinghuysen Avenue in Newark.

Today’s charges and arrests are the result of a long-running wiretap investigation led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, in collaboration with the Union County Prosecutor’s Office. The charges include conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 280 grams or more of cocaine base, and various firearm and substantive narcotics offenses.  (See chart below).

The 17 defendants arrested today are scheduled to have their initial court appearances this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jessica S. Allen in Newark federal court. 7 defendants were already in custody on state charges, one defendant was already in federal custody and previously appeared, and 4 defendants remain at large.

“These defendants are charged with operating a large-scale drug trafficking organization that poisoned our community with its distribution of massive quantities of fentanyl and crack cocaine,” U.S. Attorney Alina Habba said. “Fentanyl remains the deadliest driver of overdose deaths in our nation, devastating families everyday. We will have zero tolerance for violent gangs terrorizing our communities, flooding our neighborhoods with drugs and violence. Let today’s arrests serve as a clear warning — if you bring violence into our state, we will find you, we will dismantle your networks, and we will bring you to justice.”

“This was a sweeping and surgical strike against a violent drug trafficking network that terrorized an elderly community with poison and fear. The scale of this takedown sends a loud and clear message: we will not allow gangs to hold neighborhoods hostage. I commend U.S. Attorney Alina Habba for her bold leadership and thank our partners at the DEA, ATF, FBI, and local law enforcement for their relentless pursuit of justice,” FBI Director Kash Patel stated.

“Over the past year, the Bloods gang has terrorized the Kretchmer Homes public housing complex in Newark, NJ, using violence and fear to operate their drug trafficking business.  Thanks to the hard work of our DEA team and our law enforcement partners, we successfully targeted this drug trafficking organization that has plagued and poisoned our community with illicit narcotics. This operation, which resulted in the arrest of over two dozen individuals, removed numerous firearms, and approximately seven thousand grams of heroin and fentanyl from our streets. That’s enough fentanyl to kill up to 500,000 people,” stated DEA Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz. “This wasn’t just a bust; it was a life-saving operation. As we know, fentanyl continues to be the leading cause of death in drug overdoses and poisonings. The DEA remains committed to working alongside our federal, state, and local partners, in targeting the drug cartels and those individuals responsible for pushing these deadly drugs into our neighborhoods. We will continue to hold them accountable.”

“ATF is committed to working with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, with unwavering determination and steadfast collaboration, to dismantle these drug trafficking organizations that threaten our communities,” said SAC L.C. Cheeks Jr. “Today’s arrests hold criminals accountable for drug-related activity and the related gun violence in our neighborhoods. We appreciate the dedication of our personnel and our partners who will continue to work tirelessly to protect and secure public safety.”

“When the FBI begins a street gang investigation, we go after the leaders of the enterprise to dismantle it from the top down. We allege these men wreaked havoc in Newark, selling illicit drugs and defending their lucrative turf by using violence and guns. But this case is about more than drugs and guns, it’s about removing criminals from a community they have been terrorizing and leaving in their wake a trail of addiction and potential death for their customers. The FBI Newark Safe Streets Task Force and our partner agencies will not stop the work we are doing to rid Newark of violent offenders,” said SAC Stefanie Roddy.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

The defendants are members of a drug trafficking organization that operates an open-air narcotics market in and around the area of Kretchmer Homes – a public housing complex positioned along the 900 block of Frelinghuysen Avenue (the “Frelinghuysen DTO”). Many members of the Frelinghuysen DTO are affiliated with a neighborhood-based street gang, comprised largely of members and associates of the Bloods street gang, who pledge their allegiance, first and foremost, to the neighborhood surrounding the 900 block of Frelinghuysen Avenue.

Law enforcement used investigative techniques including, but not limited to, wiretaps, controlled purchases of narcotics by confidential informants and undercover law enforcement officers, telephone record analysis, and physical and fixed surveillance, among other lawful means of investigation.  The investigation revealed that the Frelinghuysen DTO distributes large quantities of fentanyl and cocaine base in this public housing community.  Moreover, the investigation revealed, through seizure of multiple firearms, that members of the Frelinghuysen DTO use firearms to protect their drug supply and proceeds. 

U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents and task force officers with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New Jersey Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Newark Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Newark Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks Jr., detectives with the Newark Police, under the direction of Public Safety Director Emanuel Miranda, and the Essex County Sheriff’s Department, under the direction of Sherriff Amir Jones, with the investigation leading to the charges in this case. She also thanked detectives with the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor William A. Daniel, for their assistance with the case.

The investigation was conducted as part of the Newark Violent Crime Initiative (“VCI”).  The Newark VCI was formed in August 2017 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, and the City of Newark’s Department of Public Safety for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Newark.  As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate and pool resources to prosecute violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community.  The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the DEA, New Jersey Division, the U.S. Marshals, the Newark Department of Public Safety, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center, New Jersey Department of Corrections, the East Orange Police Department, and the Irvington Police Department.

This investigation is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sam Thypin-Bermeo and Senior Trial Counsel Robert Frazer of the Organized Crime and Gangs Unit.

The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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DEFENDANTS

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

CINCINNATI – A federal grand jury indicted a Green Township man today, charging him with federal crimes related to explosive devices. 

Robert Gilb, 50, was arrested yesterday.

“The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force arrested Robert Gilb for possessing an unregistered destructive device and transporting explosive materials,” stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola. “This alleged activity posed a serious risk to public safety. The FBI worked closely with our law enforcement partners to neutralize this potential danger and protect the community.” 

According to charging documents, Gilb allegedly detonated three improvised explosive devices (IED) in Hamilton and Butler counties in March and April.

A complaint affidavit details that on April 12, Hamilton County sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to Miami Township for a report of a loud explosion. They discovered what appeared to be a blast crater and components of an improvised explosive device (IED).

Further investigation revealed that there were two prior incidents in Morgan Township

that allegedly had similar characteristics to the incident in Miami Township. Butler County sheriff’s deputies had responded to incidents there on March 23 and March 28.

Witnesses allegedly saw Gilb in his white BMW near the site of at least one of the devices when it exploded.

Gilb is charged with three counts of possessing an unregistered destructive device and three counts of transporting explosive materials.

Possessing an unregistered destructive device and transporting explosive materials are federal crimes punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, as well as the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, Butler County Sheriff’s Office, Ohio State Fire Marshalls Office, Greater Cincinnati HAZMAT, Green Township Police Department and Green Township Fire Department, announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy S. Mangan is representing the United States in this case.

An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

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Source: Office of United States Attorneys

St. Paul, Minn. – Hamza Abdirashiid Said, 20, and Amiir Mawlid Ali, 18, have been charged federally with unlawfully possessing machineguns, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson.

According to court documents, on May 30, 2025, at approximately 8:00 p.m., University of Minnesota Police (UMPD) responded to a report of a shooting at the Mariucci Arena on the University of Minnesota Campus.  The arena was hosting the Wayzata High School graduation ceremony at the time of the shooting, with numerous pedestrians and attendees outside.  Officers found a chaotic scene in which two victims—both attendees of the graduation ceremony—suffered gunshot wounds. After interviewing witness and viewing surveillance footage, law enforcement located and apprehended the shooter, Hamza Said.  Law enforcement also recovered a Glock 9mm semiautomatic pistol equipped with a high-capacity extended magazine and a machinegun conversion device, commonly called a “switch.”  Switches turn semi-automatic handguns into fully automatic machineguns.  Said has been federally charged by complaint with unlawful possession of a machinegun.

According to court documents, on June 3, 2025, at approximately 3:44 p.m., MPD officers observed a vehicle fail to stop at an intersection. The vehicle then accelerated aggressively through the intersection, and officers noted the windows were tinted to such a degree that they could not observe the interior of the vehicle.  The officers initiated a traffic stop and identified three occupants of the vehicle.  An MPD officer recognized the front passenger as Amiir Ali.  The officer knew from prior investigations that Ali was associated with multiple recent gang-related shootings and was known to carry firearms.  The occupants stated they were heading to the Edina High School graduation ceremony at the University of Minnesota.  Officers were aware of a shooting that occurred at the Wayzata High School graduation ceremony at the same location just four days earlier.  Officers located a Glock 10mm semiautomatic firearm under Ali’s seat.  The Glock was equipped with a loaded 33-round extended magazine and a machinegun conversion device, also known as a switch.  Ali was arrested when he was located by police responding to the June 6, 2025 shooting at the Burnsville High School graduation ceremony.  In recorded jail calls, Ali said that, upon his release, he would need a “button,” a slang term for a switch or machinegun conversion device.  Ali has been federally charged by complaint with unlawful possession of a machinegun.

“High school graduation ceremonies are a rite of passage. A time for friends and family to come together to celebrate one of life’s major milestones.  To bring machineguns and violence to such a ceremony is immoral and shameful,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson.  “On behalf of all Minnesotans, I want to express a sense of moral outrage at these crimes and assure the public that the perpetrators will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

Said and Ali made their initial appearance in U.S. District Court yesterday, before Magistrate Judge John F. Docherty.  Both men are detained, pending detention hearings.

These cases are a result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,  Explosives and Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Violent Gang Task Force, the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Minneapolis Police Department, and the University of Minnesota Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristian C. Weir is prosecuting the case.

A complaint is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

LOS ANGELES – Two Los Angeles County men have been charged via federal criminal complaints with possessing Molotov cocktails during the recent civil unrest in downtown Los Angeles and Paramount stemming from protests against federal immigration enforcement operations, the Justice Department announced today.

The following defendants have been charged with possession of an unregistered destructive device, which carries a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison:

• Emiliano Garduno Galvez, 23, of Paramount; and
• Wrackkie Quiogue, 27, of Long Beach.

Both defendants are in custody. Quiogue was ordered detained at his initial court appearance on Tuesday. Galvez is expected to make their initial appearance in United States District Court in the coming days.

“When protesting crosses the line into violence, the penalties will be severe,” said United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “Possessing a Molotov cocktail or another destructive device is punishable by up to 10 years in federal prison. The vile attacks such as the ones alleged in these complaints could have resulted in life-altering or life-ending injuries to police officers, sheriff’s deputies, and innocent bystanders. We will not relent in dispensing swift justice to criminals who take advantage of our country’s freedoms to engage in lawlessness.”

According to an affidavit filed with the complaint charging Galvez, on the evening of June 7 in Paramount, Galvez lit and threw a Molotov cocktail over a wall where Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) deputies were engaging in crowd control activities then ran away. A violent crowd had assembled in that location earlier in the day near a staging area for federal agents who were preparing for immigration enforcement operations.  

According to an affidavit filed with the complaint charging Quiogue, on June 8, Quiogue possessed a Molotov cocktail while holding a lighter during civil unrest near federal buildings in downtown Los Angeles’s Civic Center. Los Angeles Police Department officers saw Quiogue with the device and quickly arrested him. As Quiogue attempted to flee arrest, he threw the Molotov. 

Charged separately via criminal complaints are the following defendants, who are charged with assault on a federal officer, a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in federal prison, stemming from violence at recent rallies in Santa Ana:

• Christian Andres Garcia, 32, of Anaheim; and
• Rene Luna, 43, of Orange.

Both defendants are expected to make their initial appearances in United States District Court in Santa Ana in the coming days.

According to court documents, on June 9, Garcia threw objects at law enforcement personnel stationed outside a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) office in Santa Ana. Luna allegedly threw water bottles and beer cans at officers during the same protest. Both defendants were arrested.

A criminal complaint contains allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating Quiogue and Galvez with the assistance of the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. HSI is investigating Garcia and Luna. The FBI is assisting with the Galvez investigation.

Assistant United States Attorney David C. Lachman of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section is prosecuting Quiogue. Assistant United States Attorney Jenna W. Long, also of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section, is prosecuting Galvez. Assistant United States Attorney Brian Yang of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section is prosecuting Garcia and Luna.

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

Victim of Alleged Homicide Was Murdered in Connection with Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment on June 5, 2025, charging Shokir Kurbonovich Khalilov, from Uzbekistan, and Keily Maisonet-Ortiz, San Juan, with marriage fraud.

According to court documents, from February 29, 2024, through on or about April 29, 2025, the defendants entered into a marriage for the purpose of evading any provision of the immigration laws of the United States. Shokir Kurbonovich Khalilov and Keily Maisonet-Ortiz obtained a marriage license and got married on March 13, 2024, in San Juan, Puerto Rico. On October of 2024 Maisonet-Ortiz submitted an I-130 Petition for Alien Relative in favor of defendant Shokir Kurbonovich Khalilov before the Department of Homeland Security and on the same date, Khalilov submitted a I-485 Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adult Status pursuant to his marriage to defendant Maisonet-Ortiz.

The defendants are charged with conspiracy to commit marriage fraud and marriage fraud. Defendant Maisonet-Ortiz is scheduled for her initial court appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Giselle López Soler of the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. Defendant Khalilov will have his initial court appearance next week. If convicted, the defendants face a sentence of up to five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico; and Reggie Johnson, Chief Patrol Agent for the Ramey Sector of the US Border Patrol made the announcement.

US Border Patrol is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Emelina M. Agrait Barreto is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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Source: Office of United States Attorneys

Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge William F. Jung has sentenced Pranav Patel (33, New Jersey) to six years and three months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit money laundering. The court also entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $1,791,301, the proceeds of the offense. Patel pleaded guilty on December 23, 2024.

According to court documents, between October and December 2023, Patel was involved in a fraud scheme targeting senior citizens. Conspirators involved in the scheme called from call centers abroad and fraudulently identified themselves as government agents such as officers from the United States Department of the Treasury. In some instances, the conspirators told victims that there were outstanding warrants for their arrest, and they needed to pay to clear the warrants. On other occasions, the conspirators told victims that they needed to provide their money and gold to the officers for safekeeping.

Patel served as a money mule in the fraud scheme. He drove from New Jersey to pick up money and gold from senior citizens in the Middle District of Florida and elsewhere along the east coast of the United States. During the sentencing hearing, one victim from whom Patel picked up fraud proceeds advised the court that because of the scam, he was unable to afford his mortgage payments, had to sell his house, and had to depend on Social Security benefits for all his living expenses.

In December 2023, Patel traveled to a residence in Hillsborough County to retrieve what he believed was a box of gold. Unbeknownst to Patel, he did so while under law enforcement surveillance, and Patel was promptly arrested after picking up the box. In total, Patel laundered $1,791,301 as part of the fraud scheme.

“Preying on vulnerable, unsuspecting elderly victims to rob them of their hard-earned money is despicable. Even worse, the defendant’s co-conspirators posed as government agents to defraud victims of nearly $2 million, threatening them with arrest if they didn’t follow their demands. Thanks to the men and women of the Tampa Field Office, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida for their diligent work,” said U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Robert Engel of the Tampa Field Office.

This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer L. Peresie and Maria Guzman.