Indian National Pleads Guilty in Houston to Running Elderly Fraud Scheme From Federal Prison
HOUSTON, Texas — A 32-year-old Indian national has pleaded guilty to participating in a mail fraud conspiracy targeting elderly Americans while he was already serving a federal prison sentence for a previous fraud conviction involving elderly victims.
Sumit Kumar Singh, 32, admitted using a contraband cellphone from inside federal prison to communicate with others involved in a scheme in which scammers impersonated PayPal representatives and federal government agents to convince elderly victims to send money.
It’s hard to believe that Singh was able to manage the fraud from prison, but this is real.
Among the victims was a 93-year-old North Dakota woman who was tricked into mailing a $45,000 check after being told that U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi would help her obtain a new identification card and return her money.
Fraud Scheme Operated From Inside Federal Prison
According to federal prosecutors, Singh was serving a sentence for a previous mail fraud conviction involving elderly victims when he became involved in another fraud conspiracy.
In 2025, Singh obtained a contraband cellphone while incarcerated.
He used the phone to communicate with individuals involved in mail fraud and money laundering activities targeting elderly people.
As part of the scheme, scammers posed as PayPal representatives or federal government agents.
Victims were falsely told they needed to send money to resolve fabricated issues and were promised that the funds would eventually be returned.
93-Year-Old Woman Tricked Into Sending $45,000 Check
One victim, a 93-year-old woman from North Dakota, was instructed to mail a check for $45,000.
The scammers falsely claimed that Attorney General Pam Bondi would assist the woman in obtaining a new identification card and returning her money.
The victim mailed the check as instructed.
While still incarcerated, Singh used his contraband cellphone to send messages to a phone number in India.
Those communications included a photograph of a bank receipt showing that the woman’s $45,000 check had been deposited in Edinburg, Texas.
The receipt connected Singh’s communications from prison to the financial transactions involving the elderly victim.
Singh Faces Additional Federal Prison Time
Singh pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud.
U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks Jr. accepted the guilty plea and scheduled sentencing for December 21, 2026.
Singh faces up to five years in federal prison and a possible maximum fine of $250,000 for the new conviction.
He remains in federal custody pending sentencing.
U.S. Postal Inspection Service Investigated Fraud Conspiracy
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Belinda Beek is prosecuting the case, with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorneys Whitney Ohlausen and Lesley Brooks of the Northern District of Texas.
