Federal prosecutors have added three new suspects to a criminal case involving an international scheme that targeted a Warren woman. A superseding indictment filed in U.S. District Court names Sunil Ray, Samarthkumar Bharatkumar Avaiya, and Shaliniben Dax Patel as defendants alongside two men originally charged in early 2024.

The updated charges expand a case that began when investigators identified a phantom hacker scam. This type of fraud often involves tricking victims into believing their computer or financial accounts are at risk, then convincing them to move their money into gold or cryptocurrency to protect it.

The superseding indictment names three suspects who prosecutors say were involved in the conspiracy. Sunil Ray faces charges of conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Investigators claim Ray used a false name to help manage the fraud and move the stolen money. Samarthkumar Bharatkumar Avaiya and Shaliniben Dax Patel also face conspiracy to commit money laundering charges.

The three join Anil Mangukia and Yash Navadiya, who were the first suspects arrested in February 2024. While the original defendants live in New Jersey, the court documents show the legal proceedings are taking place in the Northern District of Ohio because the victim lives in the Warren area.

According to the indictment and earlier court records, the group targeted a person at least 60 years old. This victim was allegedly told that their bank accounts were compromised. To keep the money safe, the suspects allegedly directed the victim to buy gold bullion.

Investigators say the victim was defrauded of more than $127,000 through several different transactions.

She was directed to wire $100,000 to a coin dealer to purchase gold coins. The actual value of the coins purchased and handed over to a courier at the victim's home was $97,425.

Following the gold coin hand-off, the victim was tricked into making two separate transactions of $14,800 each (totaling $29,600) at a Bitcoin ATM in Warren.

The documents also describe an additional attempted fraud involving a larger sum. The suspects convinced the victim to withdraw $340,000 from a retirement account to purchase gold bars. However, the FBI intervened and used a "fictitious order" for gold bars valued at approximately $338,432.

In late January 2024, the victim reportedly sent packages of gold to a location in Macedonia, Ohio. Police in Macedonia stopped a vehicle and found the gold, which led to the initial arrests. Prosecutors say Mangukia and Navadiya traveled to Ohio to pick up the gold and even provided fake receipts to try to explain why they had it.

The investigation into the group's finances revealed a complex network used to hide the money. Federal agents seized more than $1.3 million in various types of cryptocurrency from an account linked to the suspect known as Sunil Ray. It included large amounts of Bitcoin, as well as smaller amounts of other digital currencies.

The addition of the new suspects has delayed the trial process because of the large amount of evidence involved. Defense lawyers told the court they need more time to review thousands of documents and data from several laptops seized by the FBI.

The two original defendants, Mangukia and Navadiya, are currently out of jail on $20,000 bonds while they wait for trial. They must follow rules, including staying in certain areas and giving up their passports to the court.

A jury trial for the group is currently scheduled to begin later this month in Cleveland.

The government is seeking to keep all the cash, gold, and cryptocurrency seized during the investigation.