DOJ: Fourth Defendant Convicted in Indian Call Center Elder Fraud Scheme

• Thakkar coordinated the receipt and laundering of cash and gold obtained from victims, with funds shipped to Los Angeles and New York before being sent overseas.
• Co-defendants Mangukiya and Patel received prison sentences of 97 months and 63 months, while Barot awaits sentencing for conspiracy to commit money laundering.

A federal jury in Austin convicted Bhavesh Kumar Thakkar, an Indian national, on two counts related to wire fraud and money laundering for his role as a U.S.-based coordinator in a large-scale elder fraud scheme. The scheme, active from at least September 2022 to September 17, 2025, involved laundering over $150 million in proceeds obtained by Indian call center scammers.

Thakkar received and laundered cash and gold from elderly victims, working with co-defendants who acted as couriers. The funds were shipped to Los Angeles and New York before being laundered overseas. Co-defendants Mangukiya and Patel were sentenced to 97 months and 63 months in prison, while Barot pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing.

• $150 million fraud proceeds connected to Thakkar
• 97 months Mangukiya's prison sentence
• 63 months Patel's prison sentence

• Review recent transactions involving large cash or gold shipments to Los Angeles and New York for links to Bhavesh Kumar Thakkar or his co-defendants.
• Screen for wire transfers or deposits from elderly clients that may match the typology of Indian call center scams described in the DOJ case.
• Update internal watchlists to include the names Bhavesh Kumar Thakkar, Rakesh Barot, Dhruv Rajeshbhai Mangukiya, and Kishan Rajeshkumar Patel.

This case highlights the ongoing threat of international fraud rings targeting vulnerable populations, particularly the elderly, and the sophisticated laundering methods used to move illicit proceeds across borders. Compliance officers must remain vigilant for red flags such as large cash or gold shipments, especially those routed through major U.S. cities before being sent overseas. The involvement of multiple actors and jurisdictions underscores the importance of robust transaction monitoring, enhanced due diligence, and timely information sharing with law enforcement to disrupt similar schemes.