Shelby Township, Michigan— A 25-year-old Indian student residing in Toledo, Ohio, has been arrested and charged with defrauding an elderly Michigan couple of $50,000. The suspect, Vedantkumar Bhupenbhai Patel, allegedly posed as a Treasury Department agent and claimed the couple's credit card was used to purchase illicit materials, coercing them into handing over cash to avoid legal consequences.
Key Facts:
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Arrest Date: Patel was taken into custody on April 30, 2025, in Toledo, Ohio, and extradited to Michigan.
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Charges: He faces charges of False Pretenses ($50,000 or more but less than $100,000) and Larceny ($20,000 or more).
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Bond: A bond of $100,000 has been set, requiring cash or surety for release.
The investigation began on April 5, 2025, when the elderly couple reported receiving an email alleging fraudulent charges on their credit card for purchasing child pornography. The email instructed them to withdraw $50,000 in cash and place it in a box for pickup by a supposed Treasury agent. Two days later, Patel allegedly rented a vehicle, drove from Toledo to Shelby Township, and collected the cash from the victims.
Using search warrants and the FLOCK camera system, Detective Thomas Verdura identified Patel as the suspect. Further investigation revealed that Patel may have wired the stolen funds to his hometown in India and attempted to scam the same couple, and potentially others, out of additional thousands of dollars.
Shelby Township Police Chief Robert Shelide condemned the crime, stating, "People that prey on the elderly are the most despicable type of criminals that I have dealt with in my 38+ years of law enforcement experience, and our department will use every available resource to identify and arrest these types of evil criminals."
This case marks the fourth incident in the past three weeks where Indian students in the U.S. have been arrested for scamming senior citizens. Earlier this month, Kishan Kumar Singh was arrested for allegedly trying to swindle money from a 78-year-old woman by impersonating a law enforcement officer. Last month, two Indian students were held for allegedly posing as government agents and extorting gold and money from an elderly individual.
Do You Know? The FLOCK camera system, utilized in this investigation, is a license plate recognition technology that aids law enforcement in tracking vehicles involved in criminal activities.
Key Terms:
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False Pretenses: A legal term referring to the crime of obtaining property or money through intentional misrepresentation or deceit.
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Larceny: The unlawful taking of personal property with the intent to permanently deprive the owner of it.
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FLOCK Camera System: A network of license plate recognition cameras used by law enforcement agencies to monitor and track vehicles.
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Extradition: The legal process of transferring a suspect from one jurisdiction to another to face criminal charges.