Mahendra Darbar, an Indian national on a student visa, was arrested last month in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico.
Darbar, who had traveled from Pennsylvania, was linked to the scam through communication with a person named "RR" on WhatsApp. He faces charges of fraud and attempted fraud.
This case should serve as a cautionary tale for every Indian student in the USA and their parents back home.
Although Mahendra was on a student visa, he struggled financially with a wife and child to support.
Unable to make ends meet, he resorted to illegal off-campus work and eventually took up a criminal job when "RR" from India asked him to collect money from victims.
The scam involved frightening elderly people in the USA by pretending to be US Marshals, claiming they were caught in serious legal cases and could avoid trouble by paying a ransom.
This is a big racket involving many, everything orchestrated by RR.
The money collected—either in cash or gold— from victims was delivered by Mahendra to a place mentioned by RR. For each collection, he was paid between $1,000 and $3,000.
However, not all victims were fooled. One from New Mexico state reported the scam to the police, leading to a sting operation that trapped Mahendra.
Now, he may have to face decades in prison and a hefty fine, ruining his life. This incident should serve as a warning to Indian students in the USA struggling to make a living.
It's a reminder that easy money can be a dangerous trap, and the law is strict.
Indian parents, too, should be aware of the pressure their children face when tasked them paying off education loans.
A lack of on-campus job opportunities or post-graduation employment can push students from middle class Indian families toward risky, illegal choices. Once convicted, there's no going back