Fourth Defendant Convicted in Indian Call Center Elder Fraud Scheme

AUSTIN, Texas - A federal jury in Austin convicted an Indian national for two counts related to wire fraud and money laundering, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Bhavesh Kumar Thakkar, 45, was in the United States on a spousal visa. From at least September 2022 and continuing until Sept. 17, 2025, Thakkar conspired in a fraud scheme with co-defendants Rakesh Barot, Dhruv Rajeshbhai Mangukiya and Kishan Rajeshkumar Patel.

In his role, Thakkar served as a U.S.-based coordinator for the receipt and laundering of fraud proceeds in the form of cash and gold obtained from elderly victims across the country. The fraud proceeds were obtained by call center scammers based in India. He also personally received some of those funds from couriers such as Mangukiya and Patel. The funds were shipped to Los Angeles and New York before being laundered overseas. Thakkar was directly connected to over $150 million in fraud proceeds scammed from elderly victims across the United States.

"Foreign actors, both abroad and here in the United States, cannot be allowed to target Americans, especially our most vulnerable citizens," said U.S. Attorney Simmons. "Many victims lose a significant portion of their life savings to these scammers, leaving victims vulnerable and hopeless. When we find them, we will do all we can to take from them the same sense of freedom and comfort they stole from their victims."

"Protecting our elderly citizens from those who would defraud them out of their hard-earned money is a high priority for the FBI," said FBI San Antonio Division Special Agent in Charge Daniel Faith. "This defendant was found guilty of working with others to scam a large number of vulnerable senior citizens out of millions of dollars. We're grateful to all of our partners in this case, including numerous FBI Field Offices, Indian authorities via our Legat New Delhi and the Granite Shoals Police Department."

In 2025, Mangukiya and Patel were sentenced to 97 months and 63 months in federal prison, respectively. Barot pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering and is awaiting sentencing.

The FBI and the Granite Shoals Police Department investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Keith Henneke and Brandy Gann are prosecuting the case.

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