45°
Neel Patel, of Carol Stream, joined California native Wenhui Sun behind bars after a woman was bilked out of hundreds of thousands of dollars as part of the scheme, according to police.
In March, a woman advised investigators that she had been contacted by a fraudster alleging to be with Office of the Inspector General – Federal Trade Commission.
She was instructed that she was the victim of identity theft that launched a federal investigation involving drugs and money laundering.
The woman was directed by the fraudsters to transfer all assets into gold bars, police say, which would then be picked up by a courier who was an "FBI agent" that would take the gold to the US Department of Treasury.
In total, the victim handed over more than $789,000.
During the investigation, the Montgomery County Department of Police identified Patel as the courier of the first delivery of gold bars worth more than $331,000, and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
Sun was previously determined to be a second courier who also picked up gold from the woman.
Patel was apprehended at approximately 11 p.m. at Chicago O'Hare International Airport as he was boarding a flight to Ireland.
He was brought back to Montgomery County on Tuesday, Aug. 6 and held at the department's Central Processing Unit pending a bond hearing.
Want breaking news in the DMV as it happens, or want to contribute? Join the DMV All Incidents Facebook group.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Frederick and receive free news updates.
