Two men from Bangladesh and India will be deported after pleading guilty to scamming a South Carolina couple out of $25,000, according to The Rock Hill Herald.
Simand Singh, 33, of Bangladesh, and Mohsin Mohammed, 29, of India, admitted in York County criminal court to obtaining goods under false pretenses. Prosecutors said the scheme involved convincing the couple to withdraw $25,000 from their bank account and hand it over to someone posing as a bank courier.
“They have been convicted of their felony crimes and will be deported,” prosecutor Misti Shelton said.
York County Sheriff’s Office deputies said the victims were contacted by phone and told their bank account had been hacked. The callers allegedly instructed them to take out the money to prevent further fraud. Instead of delivering the funds to their bank, the couple was told to give it to a “courier” — later identified as one of the defendants.
Authorities said the victims contacted law enforcement before the transaction was completed, leading to the arrest of Singh and Mohammed near their home in early March.
The men had been held at the York County jail since their arrest, with an immigration detainer placed on them due to their visa status at the time of the offense. The hold allows U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to take custody of foreign nationals for removal proceedings after their release from local custody.
Singh and Mohammed were sentenced to time served as part of their guilty pleas, paving the way for ICE to begin deportation proceedings.
Sheriff’s officials and prosecutors urged residents to be cautious about unsolicited phone calls regarding bank accounts or personal information, noting that legitimate financial institutions will not demand large withdrawals or request that funds be handed over to unknown couriers.
