The large scale crime has led to at least one death.
BEAUMONT, Texas — Federal agencies believe a large criminal operation based in India is targeting and stealing money from elderly Texans. This large scale crime has resulted in at least one death.
Aakash Kalpesh Gandhi pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and will spend the next four years and three months in federal prison. A judge also ordered that Gandhi pay restitution to his victims.
U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston said Gandhi was operating out of Washington and stealing from the elderly in east and Southeast Texas.
“Our greatest generation is constantly being attacked by phone and computer scammers,” Featherston said. “These crooks have no morals. When you take advantage of the elderly, you are steeping to the lowest of the low.”
While law enforcement agencies feel the arrest was a big one, Featherston believes Gandhi is just the tail of a big snake.
“This is a billion dollar industry in the elder fraud scamming world,” Featherston said,
Featherston said the 19 victims Gandhi dealt with directly lost more than $800,000, and one died.
“Of those 19 victims, one lost over…
