An Indian national living in the U.S. on a student visa has been arrested after allegedly orchestrating an elaborate scam that defrauded an elderly Michigan couple out of $50,000. Vedantkumar Bhupenbhai Patel, 25, was studying mechanical engineering at the University of Toledo when he was taken into custody and charged with larceny and false pretenses.

According to the Shelby Township Police Department, Patel contacted the couple by email, posing as a federal agent. He falsely claimed their credit card had been used to purchase child pornography and told them they needed to withdraw $50,000 in cash to prevent charges from going through. Patel instructed them to put the money in a box for a supposed Treasury Department employee to pick up and warned them not to alert anyone.

Police say Patel then drove from Ohio to Michigan to collect the package himself.

Investigators believe the money was quickly sent overseas to his hometown in India, and that this may not be an isolated case. Authorities say Patel is now under investigation in at least two additional elder scams. After his arrest, Immigration and Customs Enforcement placed a detainer on him, meaning he may face deportation after prosecution.

Shelby Township Police Chief Robert Shelide didn’t hold back in condemning the crime. “People that prey on the elderly are the most despicable type of criminals that I have dealt with in my 38+ years of law enforcement experience,” he said in a statement. He praised Detective Thomas Verdura’s determination in cracking the case.

“Detective Verdura was extraordinary. He was determined and persistent throughout, always looking for the next clue or fact,” Shelide added.

The case has drawn broader attention because Patel is a foreign student on a visa, raising further questions about the Biden-era visa vetting process and ICE enforcement. It comes at a time when the Trump administration is already cracking down on foreign student programs, freezing visa approvals and demanding stricter background checks.

Under Trump’s new executive directives, the Department of Homeland Security has begun suspending visa interviews and pushing for enhanced screening procedures in cases involving fraud, public safety, or national security risks. Patel’s case could now serve as an example of why that policy is being aggressively pursued.

Court records show Patel was extradited to Michigan, where he is being held on a $100,000 bond. Authorities believe he may have already laundered the money, making restitution to the victims unlikely.

With ICE involved and multiple investigations still ongoing, the case could grow—and more victims may yet come forward. For now, one thing is certain: this scam has exposed glaring vulnerabilities in how the U.S. handles foreign student visas and elder fraud prevention.