Ahmed Maqbul Syed, 57, and Rupesh Chandra Chintakindi, 27, both Indian citizens, face charges of conspiracy to commit money laundering, according to an announcement made today by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona.
The department also charged Syed with conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
According to the Department, Syed, Chintakindi, and other individuals are accused of conspiring to launder fraudulent proceeds from schemes that targeted older individuals throughout the United States, including in Arizona.
The victims were typically enticed into the scams through a “pop-up” message on their computer informing them that their device had been hacked or was experiencing some other problem, according to the office’s statement.
The U.S. attorney’s office states that the victims were instructed to reach out to “tech support” or “government representatives” in order to address the problem.
The Department stated that, in actuality, these individuals were linked to additional conspirators who deceitfully alleged that their accounts had been hacked and their personal information compromised.
The conspirators instructed the victims to withdraw or transfer money, often claiming it was necessary to protect their accounts, according to the department.
According to the office, victims were instructed to buy gold from different dealers or withdraw cash, with the belief that government representatives would collect it from them.
According to the department, victims were told to purchase gift cards from private businesses and share the card numbers with individuals they thought were assisting them.
The U.S. attorney’s office has confirmed that at least one victim was instructed to deposit cash into a bitcoin ATM.
The Department added that both conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to commit wire fraud carry a maximum prison sentence of 20 years and a fine of up to $250,000.
