FBI Takes Over Prosecution of Guj Youth in US Scam

Vedantkumar Patel Had Allegedly Posed as a Government Official to Cheat an Elderly Couple Out of $50,000 in Cash

- | Sarfaraz.Shaikh

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has taken over the prosecution of Vedantkumar Patel, a 25-year-old Gujarati student arrested for conning an elderly Michigan couple out of $50,000.

Patel, in the US on a student visa, was picked up by Toledo police on April 30 before being handed to Michigan authorities. He allegedly emailed the victims claiming their credit card had been used to purchase child pornography. Posing as a government official, he then convinced the frightened couple to withdraw cash and hand it to him—a supposed Treasury Department agent.