US: Indian national sentenced to 4 years in prison for defrauding elderly women; how the FBI trapped him

An Indian citizen has been sentenced to more than four years in prison for defrauding an elderly American woman of $150,000 through computer hacking. Sukhdev Vaid, 24, pleaded guilty to wire fraud in December 2023, a U.S. attorney said.

U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said in a statement released by the U.S. Department of Justice that Sukhdev, who is from Haryana, defrauded senior citizens across the country through an international computer hacking scheme. killed the woman and caused total damage of more than $1.2 million. department.

The court on Wednesday ordered that Vaid be remanded to Customs and Immigration Enforcement for deportation upon his release from prison and ordered Vaid to pay $1,236,470 in restitution. “It has become all too common for those outside our country to see Montanans victimized, especially involving wire fraud, and getting away with it. But not this time. Thanks to the savvy and tenacity of the FBI, Vaid will be in federal prison, and I appreciate that,” Laslovic said.

Technology scams

“‘Ghost hacker’ scams layer upon layer of impersonating tech support, financial and government roles to gain access to someone’s computer and personal information. Sadly, these scams are increasingly targeting our seniors. Salt Lake City FBI Special Superintendent Shohini Sinha said the case was made even more egregious by the fact that the scammers traveled overseas to collect money from their victims.

Flathead County Sheriff Brian Heino said this is a reminder to all citizens that these scams occur often and can be devastating. “I urge everyone to exercise caution; do not give strangers access to your computer, bank account or personal information,” he said. In a statement filed in court, the Montana victim said: “I felt extremely violated… I crawled into a shell emotionally and did not want to be vulnerable in any way. I Don’t know who I can safely trust right now. I’m not safe at all.”

One victim from outside Montana wrote to the court, “I drive a 2007 car and this damage leaves me unable to afford a new car. The cost of living continues to rise, which is not possible on a fixed income.” Help. I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to feel safe and trust people again. This is costing me more than any monetary loss.”

How Vaid was caught

A large conglomerate from India allegedly stole $1,236,470 from American seniors, the government alleged in court documents. The Montana case occurred in February 2023, when Glacier Bank notified the FBI that Jane Doe, a 73-year-old Kalispell woman, had been defrauded. After learning of the scam, the FBI devised a ruse in which Jane Doe told the scammer she had $50,000 left in cash.

The FBI arrested Wade and his co-defendant, Edley Joseph of Gainesville, Florida, when they traveled to Montana to collect the money. The investigation determined that the fraudsters used UltraViewer installed on Jane Doe’s computer to remotely access Jane Doe’s computer. Joseph was previously sentenced to two years and nine months in prison for his conviction in the case.