Arizona: An Indian national has been sentenced to eight years in prison for laundering money linked to a nationwide fraud operation targeting elderly Americans. He has also been ordered to pay approximately USD 2.4 million in restitution to victims.
Ahmed Maqbul Syed, 60, an Indian citizen and former Illinois resident, received a 96-month sentence from US District Judge John C. Hinderaker last week. He had pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering, the US Department of Justice said.
Syed participated in a criminal network that collected proceeds from technical support and government impersonation scams targeting senior citizens across the country, including Arizona.
The fraudsters used fake computer alerts and pop-up messages to convince victims that their devices had been compromised. Those seeking assistance were connected to criminals posing as technical support staff or government officials.
Victims were falsely told that their bank accounts had been hacked or their personal information was connected to serious crimes, including child pornography. Scammers then pressured them to transfer money to supposedly safeguard their assets.
Some victims were instructed to purchase gold, withdraw cash and hand it over to individuals posing as government representatives. Others were told to buy gift cards and share their redemption codes. In at least one case, a victim was directed to deposit cash through a Bitcoin ATM.
Several elderly victims suffered significant financial losses, with some losing most of their life savings.
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