A US court has sentenced Indian-born Sital Singh to four years in prison for her role in a multi-million dollar fraud scheme that targeted elderly victims across the country. Singer, 43, was also ordered on Thursday to pay $6.6 million in restitution. According to prosecutors, the scheme worked with overseas fraudsters to defraud victims of nearly $9.3 million. U.S. Attorney’s Office.Singh, Dariona Lambert, 24, Zhamoniq Stevens, 24, Chintankumar Parekh, 52, and Mehulkumar Darji, 42, all pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.He acted as a “handler,” coordinating the collection of gold bars and coins that victims were defrauded into purchasing. The scam involved callers posing as officials and falsely claiming victims’ financial accounts had been compromised, forcing them to convert their savings into gold to ensure “safety.”Two co-accused, identified as couriers, personally collected the gold from the victims, while Singh and other handlers managed logistics and payments. Authorities say the network operates in at least ten states and targets vulnerable seniors.For example, law enforcement became involved after an 82-year-old St. Louis woman was persuaded to buy $250,000 worth of gold during a gold-picking drive.Federal investigators say the scam had devastating consequences. “These crimes took away the life savings of elderly victims,” ​​FBI officials said, citing cases in which families lost funds for long-term care.All five defendants have now been sentenced, with Singh and two others sentenced to four years in prison. Authorities said some of the co-conspirators faced deportation after serving their sentences.
