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Houston - Five Houston men were sentenced to federal prison after admitting to being part of a fraud ring that targeted elderly victims.
MD Azad, 26, Sumit Kumar Singh, 30, Himanshu Kumar, 26, MD Hasib, 28, and Anirudha Kalkote, 26, admitted mail fraud from 2019 to 2020 that operated out of various cities, including Houston.
Each of them resided illegally in Houston. Following their sentences, all are expected to face removal proceedings.
Singh, Kumar, Kalkote, and Hasib were sentenced to 78 months. Azad, the highest-ranking member, received 188 months.
During the respective hearings, the court heard victim impact letters that described the suffering of almost 200 victims, many of whom were elderly.
In handing down the sentences, the court noted that the victim's letters sounded like a "horror show." Some victims lost their life savings. Others were threatened when they refused to continue to pay.
Following constant surveillance on their home computers, they described feelings of fear and anxiety.
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"Anxiety, fear, humiliation, and devastating financial loss are what these victims endured," said U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. "The criminals were relentless, preying on the elderly, often revictimizing their targets. These scammers from India didn’t care what impact their scheme had; all they cared about was money and a lot of it. Thankfully, the court imposed a just sentence for each of these ruthless fraudsters, bringing the victims peace and closure."
The fraudsters contacted victims over the phone or via the internet to provide computer technical support, according to authorities.
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Houston officials say victims typically paid a fee to conspirators for fake technical support but were later told they were due a refund. The ring gained access to the victim's bank account(s) and credit cards by charging the victim for "technical support" or through the "refund" process. A typographical error was used to make it appear the victim received too large a refund. Afterward, victims were instructed to reimburse the ring in various ways.
Victims were sometimes re-victimized on multiple occasions and threatened with bodily harm if they did not pay.
"The sentences imposed on the defendants in this case should serve as a harbinger for anyone attempting to defraud and manipulate our nation’s elderly. Prison awaits you," said Special Agent in Charge Ramsey E. Covington of IRS Criminal Investigation (CI). "This was an effort that combined the investigative skills of multiple law enforcement agencies that partnered together to uphold our commitment to the Elder Justice Initiative. We will continue to protect our seniors."
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The FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and IRS CI conducted the investigation with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office, and other local law enforcement agencies throughout the United States including the Sheriff’s Office and Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office of Augusta County, Virginia. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Belinda Beek and Quincy Ollison prosecuted the case.
This case is part of the Elder Justice Initiative to combat elder abuse, neglect, financial fraud, and scams targeted at the nation's seniors.
The U.S. Department of Justice has established a hotline dedicated to preventing and combating elder fraud. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern time. Services are available in English, Spanish, and other languages.
If you or someone you know is a victim of elder fraud, we encourage you to call the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 833–FRAUD–11 (833–372–8311).