US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has arrested an Indian national, identified as Rinkeshkumar Kaushikbhai Patel, in connection with a theft conspiracy case in Tennessee. Patel, who is originally from Gujarat, India, was taken into ICE custody after serving part of his sentence in Bradley County.
According to ICE, Patel had been convicted for conspiracy to commit larceny involving more than $60,000. The agency said he would remain in custody while removal proceedings move forward.
Who is Rinkeshkumar Kaushikbhai Patel?
“In all, over $60K was stolen,” ICE revealed on X. “Patel sentenced to 6 years, but his sentenced was suspended after just under a year. ICE took custody of him from the Bradley County Jail and will hold him pending removal proceedings.”
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) also posted about the arrest on social media, sharing Patel’s photograph and details of the case.
“Rinkeshkumar Kaushikbhai Patel, a criminal illegal alien from India, convicted for conspiracy to commit theft over $60,000 in Bradley County, Tennessee,” DHS wrote.
Fraud investigation linked to larger scam network
Patel was first arrested in July 2025 during an investigation into an alleged fraud operation targeting a Tennessee resident. At the time, authorities in Bradley County claimed the victim had lost more than $250,000 through a combination of Bitcoin transfers and direct cash handovers.
Investigators believed the case was tied to a broader scam network operating across multiple locations. Patel was reportedly caught while attempting to collect additional money from the victim.
However, while local investigators earlier referred to losses exceeding $250,000, the ICE statement specifically mentioned theft exceeding $60,000. It remains unclear whether the charges were reduced during court proceedings or whether prosecutors pursued a narrower case during sentencing. Patel was sentenced to six years in prison, though the sentence was suspended after he served less than a year in custody.
ICE focuses on another arrest involving Indian national
ICE said it had lodged a detainer against Atharva Vyas after he was accused of assaulting a woman and her three-year-old daughter at a park in San Antonio on April 18. According to ICE, the agency requested local authorities to transfer Vyas into federal custody after criminal proceedings conclude. “ICE lodged a detainer with local law enforcement asking them to turn Vyas over to ICE instead of releasing him into the community after he’s faced justice for his alleged crimes,” ICE wrote on X