Indian Citizen Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud in Montana Stealing $150,000 From a 73-year-old Woman

Sukhdev Vaid, 24, admits role in computer-hacking scheme that involved stealing money from the elderly in the United States.

Sukhdev Vaid, a 24-year-old Indian citizen has admitted to his role in stealing $150,000 from an elderly woman in Montana, through a computer-hacking scheme, the Department of Justice announced last week.

According to court documents, Vaid was part of “a large enterprise originating from India that involved stealing money from the elderly in the United States.” As part of that scheme, Vaid and others, described by the DOJ as “ various fraudsters,” stole $150,000 from a 73-year-old woman in Kalispell

In February, various fraudsters stole $150,000 from a 73-year-old woman in Kalispell. The fraud occurred because of a pop-up notice that appeared on the woman’s computer screen, telling her she was “hacked” and for her to call a number for customer support. She complied, and as directed by the fraudster, removed cash from her bank accounts for safekeeping. She also gave $150,000 in cash to the fraudsters.

In March, at the behest of the FBI, she told the fraudsters she still had $50,000 in cash. So Vaid traveled to Montana, along with co-defendant Eddly Joseph, of Gainesville, Florida, to steal the money from her. But when they got there, law enforcement arrested the pair. “The investigation determined that the fraudsters remotely accessed Jane Doe’s computer, using UltraViewer, which they installed on her computer.” Joseph pleaded guilty in August to wire fraud and is pending sentencing.