India-linked fraud courier sentenced to six years for $1.7 million scam targeting elderly Americans

A 29-year-old man linked to an India-based fraud operation has been sentenced to six years in prison in the United States for his role in a scheme that targeted elderly victims and stole millions of dollars.

According to the US Attorney's Office for the District of Montana, Zabi Ullah Mohammed was sentenced to 72 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. The sentence was announced by US Attorney Kurt Alme after the court ruling.

Mohammed was convicted in October 2025 on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud. The case was presided over by Donald W. Molloy in federal court.

Prosecutors said Mohammed acted as a courier for a criminal network operating from India. The group targeted elderly people across the United States through phone scams and deception.

In many cases, victims were told that their bank accounts or assets were at risk. The scammers falsely claimed to be government officials and convinced victims that they needed to withdraw their money and give it to a supposed “federal agent” for safekeeping. In reality, there was no federal agent, and the money was stolen.

Authorities discovered Mohammed’s role in the scheme after a victim in Missoula reported losing more than $900,000. Investigators then arranged a controlled operation to catch the suspects.

Law enforcement set up a fake package pickup that contained a tracking device. Mohammed arrived and collected the package, believing it contained cash. When he later discovered the tracker, he threw the package out of his vehicle and attempted to escape.

However, officers arrested him soon afterward. At first, Mohammed claimed that he was also a victim of the scam, but a jury later found him guilty of participating in the fraud.

Authorities said victims in the case lost more than $3.9 million in total, and Mohammed personally collected about $1.7 million in cash and gold.

The investigation was carried out by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Missoula County Sheriff's Office. Prosecutors said the case highlights the growing threat of international fraud networks targeting vulnerable Americans.