Gregory J. Haanstad, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin
Gregory J. Haanstad, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin
A federal grand jury has indicted Ankurkumar Patel, 41, of Brookfield, Wisconsin, on charges of money laundering conspiracy and substantive money laundering. The indictment was announced by Richard G. Frohling, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin.
According to the indictment returned on August 12, 2025, Patel is accused of conspiring with others to launder more than $1 million obtained from elderly victims in several states. Among the alleged victims is a resident of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, who was targeted in a “Phantom Hacker Scam.” In these scams, perpetrators pose as customer service agents or government officials and convince victims that their identities or bank accounts have been compromised. Victims are then instructed to transfer funds—often cash or gold—to accounts controlled by conspirators under the guise of protecting their assets.
The indictment alleges that Patel personally collected over $1 million from victims and worked with others to launder the proceeds through anonymous transactions.
“If convicted of the money laundering conspiracy, Patel would face a maximum of 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine of not more than $500,000, or twice the value of the property involved, whichever is greater. If convicted of the substantive money laundering count, Patel would face a maximum of 10 years’ imprisonment and a fine of not more than $250,000, or twice the amount of the criminally derived property.”
Authorities encourage anyone who believes they may have been targeted by similar scams to contact the FBI at 414-276-4684.
The investigation was conducted by FBI Milwaukee and Homeland Security Investigations in St. Louis. Assistant United States Attorney Peter J. Smyczek will prosecute the case.
“An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.”
For further information contact Public Affairs Officer Steve Caballero at (414) 297-1700.
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