Tuesday, August 15, 2023

Indian national, an illegal resident of Houston, sentenced for leading mail fraud conspiracy targeting U.S. elderly

HOUSTON, Texas — A federal court has sentenced an Indian national for his role as the ringleader in a mail fraud scheme that targeted elderly and vulnerable victims across the United States, according to U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

26-year-old MD Azad, an illegal resident of Houston, was ordered to serve 188 months in federal prison following his guilty plea on August 15, 2022. Azad admitted to participating in the fraud ring, which operated in various cities, including Houston, from 2019 to 2020.

U.S. District Judge Kenneth Hoyt, who presided over the case, described Azad as the U.S.-based ringleader of the operation, working in conjunction with a call center in India. The court heard evidence of the financial devastation the fraud scheme caused to elderly and vulnerable victims throughout the United States.

“The victims in this case were devastated, financially and otherwise,” said Hamdani. “This fraud ring repeatedly preyed on elderly and vulnerable people in the United States who spoke of threats of bodily harm if they did not comply with demands for more money. Our hope, and that of many of the victims, is deterrence so as to stop others who would think of doing similar harm in our community and beyond.”

The scheme involved tricking victims into sending money through various methods, including wire transfers, gift cards, or mailing cash. The fraudsters would contact victims, claiming to provide technical support for their computers, gaining access to personal data, bank, and credit card information. Victims were sometimes victimized multiple times and threatened with bodily harm if they did not pay.

Other Indian nationals involved in the conspiracy, including 26-year-old Anirudha Kalkote, 26-year-old Sumit Kumar Singh, 26-year-old Himanshu Kumar, and 27-year-old MD Hasib, also illegal residents of Houston, have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. All five individuals remain in custody.

The FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office, and other local law enforcement agencies throughout the United States. The case is part of the Elder Justice Initiative, aimed at protecting elderly citizens from financial exploitation and fraud.

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Indian national, an illegal resident of Houston, sentenced for leading mail fraud conspiracy targeting U.S. elderly

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