WHITEWATER — Whitewater Police have arrested an Illinois man they accuse of being behind a five-state scamming operation that stole nearly $3 million from victims.
Arrests like these are rare because typically they originate in foreign countries through sophisticated criminal enterprises.
The investigation, spearheaded by the Whitewater Police Department with assistance from the Walworth County Sheriff’s Office and the UW-Whitewater Police Department, has led to the apprehension of Harshal D. Patel, 25, of Hoffman Estates, Illinois.
The investigation began on June 16, 2025, when Whitewater Police received a complaint from a victim of a financial scam.
The victim told police someone contacted them and identified themselves as an agent for the Federal Trade Commission, according to a news release from the Whitewater Police Department.
The scammer then told the victim that their bank accounts were compromised and flagged after claiming that the victim’s account was used illegally in a drug trafficking and sex trafficking incidents.
The suspect then revealed that they had many different personal identifiers about the victim, the victim’s assets and other significant personal information.
Ultimately, the scammer was able to con the victim out of thousands of dollars, police say.
Then earlier this week, on June 25, 2025, the victim called the Whitewater Police Department to report that the same scammer was again contacting the victim, indicating they needed more money, specifically $50,000 in cash.
The scammer claimed that the victim’s account was once again compromised.
A detective from the Whitewater Police Department met with the victim to investigate, protect the victim and attempt to apprehend the suspect.
The detective worked with the victim and their bank and the detective strategically planned an immediate intercept the person coming to pick up the money.
At approximately 2 p.m., on June 25, officers and detectives from the Whitewater Police Department, deputies from the Walworth County Sheriff’s Office and a detective from the UW-Whitewater Police Department assisted in this investigation.
At about 5 p.m., Patel arrived to pick up the $50,000. He was taken into custody a short time later and was later confined in the Jefferson County Jail for Attempted Theft, a Class G Felony.
The investigation is in the beginning stages, but police say Patel was involved in an intricate scheme with a web of other suspects who focused on elderly victims around the Midwest.
Whitewater detectives have identified five different states in the Midwest that Patel was collecting US Currency and precious metals (such as gold). Over the past two months alone, Patel was involved in the theft of over $2.9 million dollars in US Currency and precious metals.
The Whitewater Police Department reminds the public that no banks or government agencies will call and ask for large sums of money or other assets to be picked up.
Contact the Whitewater Police Department or your local Law Enforcement agency to report or inquire about a possible scam. If you have been a recent victim of this scam, please report your incident to your local police department.
The Whitewater Police Department was assisted by the Walworth County Sheriff’s Office, UW-Whitewater Police Department, and First Citizens State Bank.