Leah B. Foley United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts | Department of Justice
A South Boston resident has pleaded guilty in federal court to his involvement in a wire fraud conspiracy that targeted an elderly man from Berkshire County, Massachusetts, resulting in a loss of nearly $500,000.
Urvishkumar Vipulkumar Patel, 23, admitted guilt to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Sentencing is scheduled for February 13, 2026, before U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni. Patel was initially arrested and charged by criminal complaint on October 7, 2024, and later indicted by a federal grand jury the following month.
According to court documents, the scheme began in early 2024 when a 75-year-old Berkshire County resident received a pop-up message on his computer stating it was frozen and instructing him to call a number purportedly linked to Microsoft. The victim called the number and spoke with someone identifying himself as “Sam Wilson,” claiming to be a federal law enforcement officer with the U.S. Treasury Department. Wilson told the victim he was implicated in a money laundering operation and directed him to withdraw cash from his bank accounts for supposed safekeeping by the Treasury Department.
The victim was instructed to place the cash in taped boxes labeled with his name and address. Couriers were then sent to collect these boxes from his home after confirming their identity with a prearranged passcode provided by Wilson.
On or about October 7, 2024, Patel traveled from South Boston to North Adams with the intention of collecting cash from the victim. He identified himself using the agreed-upon passcode before taking possession of one such box and leaving the scene. Law enforcement apprehended Patel immediately after this exchange.
The investigation into this case is ongoing. Authorities encourage anyone who believes they may have been affected by cybercrime—including elder fraud scams—to contact USAMA.CyberTip@usdoj.gov or visit relevant resources such as the FBI’s IC3 Elder Fraud Complaint Center or call the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 833–372–8311 during business hours.
Conspiracy to commit wire fraud carries potential penalties of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and fines up to $250,000. Sentences are determined based on federal guidelines and statutes applicable to criminal cases.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley stated: “United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today.” She also acknowledged assistance from local law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kaitlin Brown and Dan Bennett are prosecuting this case out of the Worcester Branch Office.
