Indian citizen Kalpeshkumar Rasikbhai Patel is on the “wanted” list of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). They said on Wednesday that Patel allegedly defrauded several victims between 2017 and 2021.
In a post on X, the FBI said 35-year-old Patel, also known as “Kenny,” is believed to live or travel between Illinois and Pennsylvania.
Read also | FBI’s Kash Patel trolled for wearing his own Punisher sneakers to a training event
Who is Kalpeshkumar Rasikbhai Patel?
Kalpeshkumar Rasikbhai Patel, who worked as a gas station attendant, is wanted in the United States for conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.
Born May 17, 1991, the FBI said he has several aliases, including Mecco, Kenny and Kalpesh Patel.
On June 22, 2023, a federal warrant was issued for Patel in the United States District Court, Eastern District of Kentucky, London, Kentucky, after he was charged with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.
Patel is considered a fugitive from justice and any information regarding his whereabouts should be considered significant and actionable, the FBI said.
The FBI requested that information about Patel be shared with the local FBI office or the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.
Patel is believed to reside or travel between Illinois and Pennsylvania, the FBI said.
Read also | White House dismisses report of FBI warning of Iranian threat to California
What fraud did Kalpeshkumar Rasikbhai Patel commit?
Kalpeshkumar Patel is wanted for his alleged involvement in a nationwide scheme to defraud multiple victims into transferring large sums of money between 2017 and 2021, the FBI said in a news release.
The investigating agency said many victims were contacted via telephone communications and tricked into believing their personal information or identity was linked to criminal activity.
It said victims were persuaded to send funds, usually in the form of cash and prepaid debit cards, to addresses across the United States.
Read also | FBI raises reward to $1 million for fugitive Bhadreshkumar Patel – Who is he?
Bhadreshkumar Chetanbhai Patel on the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted Fugitives
The FBI announced Wednesday that it is increasing the reward for tips on fugitives on its Ten Most Wanted list to $1 million. Previously, the reward was $2,50,000.
The list also includes an Indian national on the run in an 11-year-old murder case and for the first time features a cybercriminal wanted for allegedly running an international ATM jackpotting scheme.
Indian national Bhadreshkumar Chetanbhai Patel was on the run after allegedly killing his wife at a donut shop in Hanover, Maryland on April 12, 2015, and was last seen in Newark, New Jersey.
The FBI said Bhadreshkumar Patel would now be about 35 years old and should be considered “armed and extremely dangerous.”
A report in the Washington Post stated that Patel has been in the Top Ten since 2017, the longest stay on the current list.
