WISCONSIN — Brad D. Schimel, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on October 6, 2026, United States District Judge Brett H. Ludwig sentenced Ankurkumar Patel (age 44) of Brookfield, Wisconsin, to 84 months imprisonment.
On June 15, 2026, Patel pled guilty to one count of money laundering conspiracy for laundering over $1 million stolen from elderly victims in multiple states who fell prey to a “Phantom Hacker Scam.” Phantom Hacker Scams are a type of fraud that primarily targets elderly victims.
A participant in the scheme, who is often located overseas, poses as a customer service agent or government official. The purported customer service agent or pseudo government official contacts the victim and falsely claims that the victim’s identity or bank account has been hacked or compromised…