Indian Citizen in the United States on Student Visa Sentenced for Defrauding a Vietnam Veteran
TULSA, Okla. / Thursday, September 10, 2026 – An Indian Citizen residing in the United States on a student visa was sentenced today after a jury convicted him of conspiring to defraud a Vietnam Veteran in April 2026, announced U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Nassar.
U.S. District Judge John D. Russell sentenced Venkateswara Chagamreddy, 37, living in San Antonio, Texas, to 30 months’ imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release. Chagamreddy was also ordered to pay $99,496 in restitution and is expected to face removal proceedings following his sentence.
“Elder fraud schemes are despicable, calculated attacks that prey on some of the most vulnerable and trusting members of our community. In this case, an Indian national in the United States on a student visa used fear to deceive and extort a Vietnam veteran who served our country,” said U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Nassar. “Because the victim came forward, and thanks to law enforcement’s coordinated, swift response and the efforts of AUSAs Charles Greenough and Augustus Forster, Chagamreddy was brought to justice. Our office remains committed to protecting older Americans from predatory fraud and ensuring foreign scammers who take advantage of their country’s immigration system are held fully accountable for their crimes.”
In August 2025, the elderly victim called a phone number that he believed was Microsoft support. While speaking with “Microsoft,” the victim was told that criminal activity had been detected on his computer and that information would be turned over to the federal government. Someone then contacted the victim and identified themselves as a federal officer, providing a false badge number.
The fake federal officer told the victim that his identity had been stolen and provided to criminals, which resulted in him being “investigated,” and that his identity was used to commit federal crimes. The elderly victim was transferred to the “Treasury Department” and told he needed to transfer his money into gold and that an “officer” would pick it up the following day. The elderly victim complied and provided photos of the gold. When the fake officer arrived, the victim handed over the package.
A few days later, the fake federal officer contacted the victim again and demanded more funds. The victim contacted a family member, who explained that he was being scammed and contacted the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office. With the victim's cooperation, deputies scheduled another pickup. When Chagamreddy arrived at the victim’s home at the scheduled time and date, he was arrested. Evidence presented to the jury showed that he had $500 in cash, a cell phone, and 23 ounces of gold in the vehicle.
An agent testified about the messaging found on Chagamreddy’s phone. The exhibits shown to the jury clearly show he worked with another individual to defraud numerous victims within 48 hours. The agent testified that Chagamreddy flew from Austin to North Carolina, where he picked up gold from an 87-year-old woman. Trial evidence showed that after delivering the gold to a different co-conspirator, Chagamreddy sent a photo of a dollar bill with “29 oz rec 3000 paid” written on it.
The messages indicate that the following day, Chagamreddy drove from Austin, Texas, to Andale, Kansas, starting at 1:21 am. Throughout the drive, Chagamreddy would provide status updates, including screenshots of his location and fuel levels, to the co-conspirator. Upon arrival, Chagamreddy booked a hotel room to rest for a few hours and then drove to the destination he had been directed to. The co-conspirator described the 75-year-old woman from whom Chagamreddy would be picking up gold. Chagamreddy then sent the co-conspirator a photo of a sealed box with a message that read, “23 Oz.”
After completing that trip, the agent testified that the messaging showed that Chagamreddy then drove to Delaware County, Oklahoma. The co-conspirator described the 79-year-old that he would be getting gold from and provided a photo of the victim, who was visibly wearing a Vietnam veteran shirt. The agent explained that the victim lived alone on a rural road and that Chagamreddy was actively providing photos, showing that he was lost. After finding the location, Chagamreddy provided one photo confirming that he arrived and was detained shortly after by Delaware County Sheriff’s deputies.
In 2025, the Department of Justice reported to Congress that it took more than 280 enforcement actions against more than 600 defendants, many of whom were in the United States illegally or were extradited to be prosecuted. Collectively, the defendants attempted to steal, or stole, over $2.3 billion from more than one million Americans. The Department pursued more than 40 types of elder fraud. Investment fraud ranked number one, with more than $1.8 billion in losses, followed by fraudulent tech support at $982 million.
The Elder Justice Initiative website provides several scenarios and red flags to help educate yourself and loved ones about the types of abuse, including financial exploitation.
Chagamreddy will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
Delaware County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles Greenough and Augustus Forster prosecuted the case.
To find help or report elder abuse, you can contact the National Elder Fraud Hotline
1-833-FRAUD-11 (833-372-8311) 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST, Monday – Friday. Elder Justice Neighborhood Resources for Oklahoma are available here.
Contact
Public Affairs
918-382-2721
Source: U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Oklahoma
