UNITED States District Judge Brett Ludwig this week sentenced Roshan Shah, 22, to 48 months’ imprisonment for conspiring to commit money laundering, according to a press release by the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Eastern District of Wisconsin.

According to court records, Shah is a citizen of India who was attending college in Canada on a student visa. He entered the United States on a visitor visa to collect fraud proceeds.

Co-conspirators in India called victims and convinced them that their identities had been used to commit crimes. The victims were led to believe they had to surrender cash or gold to a federal agent, impersonated by Shah, for safekeeping.

In total, Shah collected more than $3.7 million from 15 victims throughout the United States.

He was arrested while attempting to collect what he believed to be fraud proceeds in New Berlin, Wisconsin, using the same fraudulent scheme.

At sentencing, Ludwig emphasized the seriousness of Shah’s misconduct and the devastating impact his actions had on the largely elderly and vulnerable victims.

“This case highlights the danger faced by Americans from fraudsters both here and overseas,” said Brad D. Schimel, First Assistant United States Attorney. “This conviction and sentence are the result of the intensive efforts of federal law enforcement working closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to combat the scourge of fraud targeting our seniors. This case should serve as a reminder that we will continue to devote substantial resources to fighting fraud, holding scammers accountable, and protecting Americans from these schemes.”

This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, and the New Berlin Police Department.