Elderly Scam Suspect Arrested and Held on ICE Detainer
Posted on 04/11/2025
Date: April 11, 2025
Case: Elderly Scam Suspect Arrested and Held on ICE Detainer 25-12754
Authority: Lieutenant of Detectives Tim Kemps
A 24-year-old California man was arrested during a sting on Wednesday afternoon in connection with an attempted fraud against an elderly female in the Village of Richfield. He remains in custody at the Washington County Jail on an ICE detainer and pending charges. The investigation began on Tuesday when the victim received an email purporting to be from a computer tech support service. The email said she would be charged a subscription fee, so she clicked the link to cancel the subscription. Ultimately the suspects were able to gain access to the victim’s bank account and made it appear as if they had accidentally refunded a large sum of money into her account. The victim then received a phone call from someone indicating that she could either return the money by transferring it into Bitcoin or have the cash picked up by the courier. The victim became suspicious and contacted the sheriff’s office.
Investigators from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office began assisting with suspect communications and helped coordinate a money pickup at the victim’s house on April 9th. The suspect had instructed the victim to package up $26,500 and have it ready to walk out to the street when the courier arrived. The suspect arrived for the pickup and was taken into custody without incident.
The suspect is an Indian national who is currently living in California and is in the United States seeking asylum. He told investigators that he had been flown to Chicago from California the night before and was given instructions to go to the victim’s house and bring her to the bank to get money. Investigators believe that upon arrival the suspect was going to take the money and then try and get the victim to go to her bank with him and withdraw the rest. The suspect confessed to conducting similar pickups outside of Wisconsin. His airfare, rental car, and accommodations are covered as he travels the country and he claims that he has been awaiting payment for his work. The suspect told investigators that his orders come from relatives back in India.
Washington County Sheriff’s Investigators are working closely with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and U.S Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE) as the investigation continues.
Washington County Sheriff Martin Schulteis commented on the arrest, expressing deep concern. “It’s deeply troubling when someone seeking asylum in our country is then accused of exploiting the very compassion and support offered to them—especially at the expense of our vulnerable elderly population. After learning of the individual’s immigration status, we notified federal immigration authorities and are cooperating with their procedures as appropriate.”