Roshan Shah, an Indian student studying in Canada, has been sentenced to 48 months in a US federal prison after pleading guilty to participating in a money laundering conspiracy linked to a $3.7 million fraud targeting elderly Americans. Prosecutors alleged he posed as a federal agent to collect gold and valuables, while investigators continue efforts to dismantle the wider international network.
Indian Student Jailed in US for Collecting $3.7 Million in Gold From Elderly Scam Victims
A student from India who was studying in Canada was sentenced to 48 months in a US federal prison after pleading guilty to his role in a money laundering conspiracy that defrauded elderly Americans in a complex network of fraud.
A Canadian student of Indian origin, Roshan Shah, has been given a four-year jail term in a US federal prison for his part in a multimillion-dollar senior fraud scheme that duped elderly Americans into handing over gold and valuables. Shah pleaded guilty to participating in a money laundering conspiracy tied to a global fraud ring, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin.
The sentencing comes after U.S. District Judge Brett Ludwig sentenced a 22-year-old Indian citizen to 48 months in prison on July 27. Prosecutors say Shah came to the United States from Canada on a visitor’s visa just to pick up the proceeds of a fraudulent operation that targeted vulnerable senior citizens.
Court documents said Shah was in the United States on a student visa attending a college in Canada. He studied in the Canadian province, but authorities did not say where or name the school he attended.
The investigators said the members of the fraud ring would call elderly victims claiming their identities were tied to criminal or financial activity. Victims were allegedly made to believe their savings were in immediate danger unless they handed over cash or gold for government “safekeeping”.
Shah posed as a federal agent during the scheme, personally collecting valuables from victims after they were told to surrender assets for protection, prosecutors say. The scheme generated more than $3.7 million from 15 victims in multiple states in the US, authorities said.
Roshan Shah Fraud Case: Investigation Revealed International Network
Co-conspirators in India contacted victims and convinced them their assets needed to be protected by federal authorities while fake investigations were pending, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin said. They allegedly threatened the victims that they would lose all their money if they did not comply.
In 2025, authorities arrested Shah for allegedly trying to obtain gold from people in New Berlin, Wisconsin. The arrest was made as a result of a joint investigation with federal and local law enforcement agencies into suspected fraud activity.
The joint investigation was led by the US Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and New Berlin Police Department, underscoring a growing partnership to combat international financial fraud targeting elderly Americans.
The conviction is a result of ongoing efforts by federal investigators and prosecutors to combat scams targeting senior citizens, said Eric Rice, HSI Wisconsin Asst. Special Agent in Charge. We will continue to dedicate significant resources to tracking offenders and safeguarding vulnerable victims, he stated.
This case demonstrates the increasing danger posed by criminals working both inside and outside of the United States, Brad Schimel stated, first assistant U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. He said coordinated investigations remain critical to breaking up cross-border criminal networks behind financial scams.
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Earlier Case Involving Indian Student Highlights Similar Fraud Pattern
The case follows the prosecution of another Indian student. Earlier, 20-year-old Kishan Rajeshkumar Patel, a student visa holder from the United States, was sentenced to 63 months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering.
According to court documents, Patel participated in a scheme to defraud at least 25 elderly Americans between July and August of 2024. The conspirators used phishing tactics and impersonated U.S. government officials to extort cash and gold, resulting in estimated losses of about $2.7 million, investigators said.
On August 24, 2024, Patel was arrested in Granite Shoals, Texas, after picking up a package believed to contain USD 130,000. He was transferred to federal custody and entered a guilty plea on March 18.
As international fraud investigations continue to grow, U.S. authorities reiterated their commitment to pursue participants in cross-border financial scams that target senior citizens. Sprouts News will continue to follow the progress of international money laundering prosecutions and attempts to prevent fraud.
