A local man has fallen victim to a scam, losing $420,000 to an individual posing as a U.S. Treasury agent online. The alleged scammer, who identified himself as “Sam Wilson,” remains at large, while one of his accomplices, Urvishkumar Patel, 21, of South Boston, was arrested by the FBI on October 7.
Arrest of Accomplice
Patel has been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud in U.S. District Court in Springfield. He is believed to have acted as a courier, picking up packages of cash from the victim.
The Scam Unfolds
The 75-year-old victim, whose name has not been disclosed, was contacted by Wilson, who claimed that the victim’s name had surfaced in an investigation. Under the pretense of protecting his funds from being implicated in a supposed money laundering scheme, the victim was persuaded to send his money to Wilson for safekeeping.
According to court documents, the victim received a pop-up message in June indicating that his computer had frozen, along with a phone number that he believed belonged to Microsoft. After calling the number, he was informed that his computer was beyond repair and was transferred to Wilson. The scammer then identified himself as a Treasury agent and confirmed the victim’s address, which raised the victim’s suspicions but ultimately convinced him of Wilson’s legitimacy.
Manipulation and Instructions
Based on the victim’s personal information, Wilson informed him that he was linked to house purchases in the United States and Russia that were allegedly part of a money laundering operation. To “safeguard” his money, the victim was instructed to withdraw cash from his account and send it to the Treasury.
Wilson provided the victim with methods to bypass his bank’s security measures by advising him to withdraw smaller amounts over time. He told the victim to place the cash in a box, seal it, and write his name and address on it. A courier would then collect the box, confirming the exchange with a PIN or passcode.
Court documents reveal that between June 2024 and September 2024, the victim made approximately five separate transactions with individuals he believed were associated with Wilson.
FBI Intervention
On October 1, the victim’s sister contacted the FBI, leading agents to coordinate with the victim to arrange a pick-up of $33,000 on October 7. An undercover agent posed as the victim during the delivery, resulting in Patel’s arrest shortly after in a traffic stop.
Patel’s Admission and Court Proceedings
Authorities reported that Patel confessed to picking up the packages, initially claiming he had been blackmailed before admitting he had been paid for his involvement in the operation for several weeks. He acknowledged opening one package, discovering cash inside, and recognizing that his actions were likely illegal but continued nonetheless.
Patel has been released under certain conditions and is scheduled to appear in court again on October 29.
