Indian Call Center Scammer Finds Out the Joke's on Him This Time Around

It seems that not a day goes by without another announcement from the Department of Justice about another big fraud bust.

I don’t remember all these stories during the Biden administration, do you?

But lest we get jaded, remember that behind every one of these cases, there’s a victim (or victims) who might now be broke, heartbroken or both. 

On Monday, the DOJ said in a statement that a jury returned a guilty verdict in the trial of an apparent piece of human detritus who not only flouted our generous immigration system, but he preyed on the elderly.

Lock him up:

A federal jury in Austin convicted an Indian national for two counts related to wire fraud and money laundering, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Bhavesh Kumar Thakkar, 45, was in the United States on a spousal visa. From at least September 2022 and continuing until Sept. 17, 2025, Thakkar conspired in a fraud scheme with co-defendants Rakesh Barot, Dhruv Rajeshbhai Mangukiya and Kishan Rajeshkumar Patel.

In his role, Thakkar served as a U.S.-based coordinator for the receipt and laundering of fraud proceeds in the form of cash and gold obtained from elderly victims across the country. The fraud proceeds were obtained by call center scammers based in India.

In all, this cretin was connected to over $150 million in fraud proceeds.

Bhavesh Kumar Thakkar came to the United States on a spousal visa. He repaid our generosity by targeting the hard-earned savings of elderly Americans. In all, he was directly connected to over $150M in fraud proceeds scammed from elderly victims across the United States. He’s now been convicted by a jury and will be sentenced for his terrible crimes. Excellent work by @USAO_WDTX & @FBI.

— Colin M. McDonald (@AAGMcDonald) October 5, 2026

Bhavesh Kumar Thakkar came to the United States on a spousal visa.

He repaid our generosity by targeting the hard-earned savings of elderly Americans.

In all, he was directly connected to over $150M in fraud proceeds scammed from elderly victims across the United States.

He’s now been convicted by a jury and will be sentenced for his terrible crimes.

Excellent work by @USAO_WDTX & @FBI.

For his prize, he gets to stay in the United States for an undetermined period of time — but unfortunately for him, it will likely be in federal prison. Two of his couriers, Kishan Rajeshkumar Patel and Dhruv Rajeshbhai Mangukiya, got 63 and 97 months respectively for their guilty pleas, and they were involved with much smaller amounts.

Here’s how the nasty little Indian call center scam often works: A pop-up appears on your computer purporting to be from Microsoft or the U.S. government or something. You must call the phone number on your screen to get “help” with your computer, or it will soon stop working, or you need to “temporarily” get money to your bank so they can ensure your entire savings aren’t wiped out. Eventually, you meet up with a contact to hand over gold or cash, which they promise you'll get back soon. Of course, that’s the last you ever hear from them.

Who would fall for such a thing? It seems like such an obvious ploy.

I’ll tell you who: the elderly, who did not grow up in the cyber world and perhaps aren't fully aware of all the myriad dangers, and who may not be as sharp as they once were. That’s what’s so insidious about these evil scams; they prey on the weak and vulnerable and often destroy them in the process.

This time, however, the joke’s on you, Bhavesh.

Editor’s Note: The American people overwhelmingly support President Trump’s law and order agenda.

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