A US federal court has sentenced Sital Singh, 43, to four years in prison after he was found guilty of running a sophisticated scam that drained millions of dollars from elderly victims across the United States — convincing them to hand over gold bars and coins to protect their life savings from a threat that never existed.

The sentence was handed down by US District Judge Matthew T. Schelp in St. Louis, Missouri, who also ordered Singh to pay a staggering $6.6 million in restitution to the victims whose lives were turned upside down by the scheme.

How the Scam Worked — And Why Elderly People Never Saw It Coming

The operation was as calculated as it was cruel. Overseas scammers — still at large — would cold-call elderly Americans, posing as tech support representatives or financial officials, warning them that their savings and retirement accounts had been compromised.

The solution? Buy gold bars or coins immediately to “secure” their funds — and hand them over to a courier who would come right to their door.

It was a lie. Every word of it.

But for victims — many of them in their 70s, 80s, and 90s — the fear of losing a lifetime of savings was enough. The overseas network alone collected an estimated $9.3 million from victims across the country.

The Roles: Handlers, Couriers, and a Paper Trail That Led to Court

Singh pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, along with four co-accused:

• Dariona Lambert, 24 — courier
• Zhamoniq Stevens, 24 — courier
• Chintankumar Parekh, 52 — handler
• Mehulkumar Darji, 42 — handler

According to prosecutors, Lambert and Stevens physically collected the gold from victims’ homes, while Singh, Parekh, and Darji coordinated the pickups behind the scenes and paid couriers in cash — keeping their hands clean while victims handed over everything they had.

Singh ran pickup operations in Collierville, Tennessee; Universal City, Texas; and Greendale, Wisconsin. Parekh coordinated collections across Arizona, California, Florida, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania. Darji handled gold in Scottsdale, Arizona; Largo, Florida; and La Jolla, California.

The Case That Broke It Open: An 82-Year-Old Woman and $250,000 in Gold

Court documents detail one case that lays bare the human cost of the operation.

An 82-year-old woman in St. Louis received a call from someone pretending to be a computer support agent. She was told her financial accounts had been hacked and was instructed to purchase approximately $250,000 worth of gold bars to safeguard her money.

She did exactly that.

In May 2024, Lambert flew from Gainesville, Florida to St. Louis to collect the gold. Parekh rented a car and drove her close to the victim’s home, after which Lambert took a rideshare to complete the pickup. FBI agents were waiting. Lambert was intercepted at the residence. Parekh, upon learning she had been caught, immediately fled to Pittsburgh.

It was the thread that unravelled the entire network.

‘They Lost the Money Saved for Their Disabled Child’

FBI St. Louis Special Agent in Charge Chris Crocker didn’t mince words when condemning the scheme.

He revealed that in one particularly heartbreaking case, a couple in their 90s lost the money they had spent decades saving — funds specifically set aside to care for their disabled adult child for the rest of his life.

Gone. In a phone call.

Two Defendants Face Deportation After Prison

Beyond the prison sentences, the case has an immigration dimension. Federal authorities confirmed that both Parekh and Darji are living in the United States unlawfully and will be deported after completing their sentences.

Parekh had overstayed his work visa. Darji had previously been removed from the country back in 2014 — and had returned.

Their sentences: both received four years in prison. Lambert was sentenced to two years, while Stevens received 18 months. All five defendants were ordered to pay restitution.

What You Should Know to Stay Safe

The FBI and Homeland Security Investigations — which jointly investigated this case, prosecuted by Assistant US Attorney Gwen Carroll — are urging anyone who has been targeted by cyber scams to report incidents through the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).

The message from authorities is simple: no legitimate government agency, bank, or tech company will ever ask you to buy gold to protect your money. If someone does — hang up.

The death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during the ongoing U.S.–led assault on Iran has triggered an unprecedented wave of public reactions from Iranian diaspora filmmakers, many of whom say the moment represents the first break in a bold 47-year theocratic grip. Across social media, industry events and global rallies, expatriate artists voiced both jubilation and apprehension as the crisis deepened.

For many, the fall of Khamenei is viewed as a historic turning point. Mahshid Zamani, a critic and a member of the bold Independent Iranian Filmmakers Association, said the dominant emotion across the diaspora is relief. “Everybody is extremely happy the dictator is dead,” she noted, while adding that uncertainty still looms over Iran’s immediate future.

Prominent director Mohammad Rasoulof, whose film bold The Seed of the Sacred Fig recently earned global acclaim, took to Instagram to call Khamenei “the most hated figure in contemporary Iranian history.” Now living in Germany, Rasoulof emphasized that Iranians’ demand for bold political self-determination “can no longer be suppressed.”

Documentarian Nima Sarvestani, a Swedish-Iranian filmmaker known for bold Survivors of the Death Corridor, described the moment as the beginning of the end of a long national trauma. “The 47-year nightmare has not yet fully ended, but light is slowly entering the frame,” he wrote, praising what he sees as the first cracks in the regime’s power structure.

Across bold European and bold North American cities, anti-regime Iranians celebrated in the streets, waving pre-1979 flags and calling for democracy in Tehran. Smaller pro-government gatherings also emerged, condemning the foreign military assault and expressing solidarity with Iran’s ruling establishment.

Zamani noted that the diaspora has long advocated for international action. She referenced an open letter from Shirin Ebadi, co-signed by acclaimed filmmaker Mohsen Makhmalbaf, urging the U.S. to help end the “machinery of repression.” More than bold 200 Iranian filmmakers recently signed another letter condemning Tehran’s violent crackdown on protesters and highlighting bold systemic corruption, bold repression, and bold economic collapse inside the country.

Yet joy is tempered with fear. “Every Iranian outside the country is worried about our families in Iran,” Zamani said. “Everyone is worried every minute this war continues.”

Those anxieties are fueled by a rapidly widening conflict. U.S. and Israeli forces continued strikes on Monday, with Pentagon officials warning the campaign was still in its early phase. Iran retaliated with bold explosive drones and bold missile launches across the bold Persian Gulf, while Hezbollah fired rockets from Lebanon, provoking Israeli airstrikes on Beirut.

Three American jets were accidentally downed by bold Kuwaiti air defenses, though all pilots survived. Additional Iran-backed strikes on bold Saudi Arabian and bold Qatari energy facilities, along with attacks near U.S. bases in the bold United Arab Emirates and bold Kuwait, have rattled global markets. The shutdown of the bold Strait of Hormuz raised fears of severe economic fallout.

Iran’s top security official Ali Larijani publicly denounced Donald Trump, accusing him of “delusional fantasies” of regime change. Speaking to The New York Times, Trump suggested the campaign could continue for “four to five weeks,” while military leadership, including General Dan Caine, warned of further casualties.

As celebrations and dread intertwine, the Iranian diaspora watches from afar—hopeful for change, yet fearful of the price it may exact on those still inside the country.

Rescue teams race against time near Castle Peak as a powerful winter storm fuels treacherous avalanche conditions in Northern California.

A terrifying avalanche near Lake Tahoe has left 10 backcountry skiers missing while six others have been rescued in what officials are calling a rapidly evolving emergency.

The massive slide struck Tuesday morning near Castle Peak, a popular backcountry skiing destination northwest of Lake Tahoe, as a group was wrapping up a guided three-day trip. Authorities say the avalanche hit around 11:30 a.m. local time, prompting an urgent 911 call to the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office.

What Happened on the Mountain

According to officials and tour organizers, the group consisted of four ski guides and 12 clients. The skiers were reportedly in the process of returning to the trailhead when the avalanche roared through the area.

In a statement, Blackbird Mountain Guides confirmed:

“The group was in the process of returning to the trailhead at the conclusion of a three-day trip when the incident occurred.”

So far, six individuals who were stranded have been rescued. However, search efforts continue for the remaining missing skiers as heavy snowfall and dangerous conditions complicate operations.

Massive Multi-Agency Rescue Effort

Authorities described the situation as “fluid,” warning that details could change rapidly.

Captain Russell Greene of the sheriff’s office told reporters that rescue teams are actively contacting families of those involved.

The response has been extensive, involving:

• Nevada County Search and Rescue
• California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
• Placer County Sheriff’s Office
• Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue
• Washoe County Sheriff’s Office
• Washoe County Search and Rescue
• Truckee Fire

Trained ski patrol rescue teams from nearby resorts have also joined the mission, navigating treacherous terrain and severe weather to locate survivors.

Storm Conditions Fueling Avalanche Danger

The avalanche occurred as Northern California is being battered by a powerful winter storm bringing heavy snowfall, gale-force winds, and dangerous thunderstorms.

The Sierra Avalanche Center, based in Truckee, had already issued warnings about high avalanche danger across the Central Sierra Nevada and the Greater Lake Tahoe region.

Officials warned that:

• Rapidly accumulating snowfall
• Fragile snowpack layers
• Gale-force winds

were creating ideal conditions for large, destructive avalanches.

Brandon Schwartz, the Tahoe National Forest’s lead avalanche forecaster, said:

“It’s particularly dangerous in the backcountry right now just because we’re at the height of the storm.”

Unlike ski resorts along major highways — which use avalanche mitigation programs to control slides — backcountry areas like Castle Peak do not have those protections. Authorities had strongly discouraged travel in or below avalanche-prone terrain.

Resorts Closed, Warnings Ignored

Several ski resorts around Lake Tahoe were partially or fully closed due to extreme weather conditions. While controlled resort areas are generally monitored and stabilized, the backcountry remains unpredictable.

Experts note that backcountry skiing, while increasingly popular, carries inherent risks — especially during active storm cycles. Avalanche conditions can shift within hours, making even experienced groups vulnerable.

Families Waiting, Search Continues

Officials have not yet released the identities of those missing. Rescue teams are racing against time as snow continues to fall and temperatures remain low.

Authorities stress that this remains an active and developing emergency.

For now, the focus remains on locating the missing skiers and safely navigating a mountainside that experts say is among the most dangerous it has been all season