Conman pleads guilty to bilking Kalispell resident with computer-based scam

A 24-year-old from India admitted in federal court Tuesday to stealing about $150,000 from a Kalispell resident through a computer-based con.

Sukhdev Vaid pleaded guilty to wire fraud in U.S. District Court in Missoula on Oct. 17. He faces up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. He was detained following his guilty plea.

The Flathead County Sheriff’s Office and FBI began investigating the case after an India-based ring of conmen tricked a 73-year-old Kalispell woman into wiring them $150,000 in February, according to court documents. The victim allegedly received a pop-up notice on her computer screen alerting her to an alleged hack and directing her to call a specific phone number for customer support, court documents said.

The number put her in touch with the conmen, who directed her to transfer money from her bank account to the “Fed” for safe keeping, according to court documents. She allegedly moved the $150,000 at the group’s instruction.

During the subsequent investigation, authorities learned that the fraudsters allegedly accessed the victim’s computer using free remote desktop software.

Working with authorities, the victim told the conmen in March she had another $500,000 in cash, according to court documents. Vaid traveled to Montana with co-defendant Eddly Joseph of Gainesville, Florida to steal the money, court documents said. Authorities arrested the pair upon arrival.

Joseph pleaded guilty to wire fraud in August and is awaiting sentencing.

News Editor Derrick Perkins can be reached at 758-4430 or dperkins@dailyinterlake.com.