A federal grand jury has indicted two men accused of running a large-scale elder fraud operation that allegedly stole millions from seniors across Western Pennsylvania and the United States, funneling the money through cryptocurrency and a Virginia bank.
The six-count indictment, unsealed Monday after an arrest in Virginia, names 46-year-old Amit Kumar Jain of Vienna, Virginia, and 28-year-old Trevaughn J. Yearwood of Orlando, Florida.
Prosecutors say the scheme, which operated from January 2024 through August 2025, was both sophisticated and profitable. According to court documents, the pair conspired to deceive elderly victims through fraudulent emails. After gaining their trust, victims were instructed to either hand over tens of thousands of dollars in cash to couriers or deposit money into Bitcoin ATMs.
The scale of the alleged money laundering is significant. Investigators allege that Jain, also known as “Buddy Patel,” and Yearwood, who went by the name “Larry Wood,” used fictitious business entities to launder approximately $26 million in victims’ funds. Much of the money reportedly moved through accounts at a bank in Vienna, Virginia.
“First Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced the charges today, highlighting the collaborative effort between local and federal agencies to track the money trail,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
Yearwood is already being held at the Clearfield County Jail on unrelated state charges. Jain was arrested last Monday in Virginia.
If convicted, the consequences could be severe. Jain faces up to 40 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million. Yearwood faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The investigation was a joint effort involving the IRS Criminal Investigation division, the FBI, and the Mt. Lebanon Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory C. Melucci is leading the prosecution.
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