Police searching a Texas home recovered more than $400,000 in gold, silver and cash as part of an investigation into scammers accused of targeting elderly residents. The seizure pushed the value of assets recovered through several search warrants beyond $750,000, according to the Friendswood Police Department.
Suchit Chandrakant Patel was arrested in Richmond on Oct. 3, 2026, and charged with engaging in organized criminal activity involving theft. A Galveston County court record identifies the offense as a first-degree felony.
Three days after his arrest, Patel’s attorneys filed a court application offering a different explanation for his possession of gold. They argued that he provided gold-testing services for customers and did not know that any metal brought to him had been stolen. The filing also challenged his $10 million bond.
Judge Lonnie Cox denied the request to reduce that bond on Oct. 9. The case remains listed as pre-indictment in the court’s October 10 docket snapshot, with another court setting scheduled for November 17.
Richmond Search Brought Total Recoveries Above $750,000
At approximately 2:30 a.m. on Oct. 3, Friendswood investigators arrived at a residence in the 13900 block of Manobrook Court in Richmond. Officers were executing an arrest warrant issued in Galveston County and a search warrant issued in Fort Bend County.
According to the police announcement, investigators recovered approximately $401,565.40 in precious metals and cash during the search. Combined with property seized through other recent warrants, the investigation had produced more than $750,000 in recovered assets.
The inquiry originated from a Sept. 15 report involving an elderly Friendswood woman. Someone impersonating a federal agent had persuaded her to provide $25,000 in gift cards and convert approximately $185,000 of her savings into gold bars. She subsequently surrendered the gold to a courier she believed was acting on the government’s behalf.
Investigators identified the person accused of collecting the gold as Rajdeep Singh, 27, of California. Friendswood officers, working with the Meadows Place Police Department, arrested Singh in Fort Bend County on Sept. 16.
Evidence developed after Singh’s arrest directed detectives toward Patel, according to KPRC 2. The earlier courier arrest and the woman’s losses were detailed in previous coverage.
Galveston County Court Records Confirm Patel’s Felony Case
Galveston County’s three-page docket identifies the defendant as Suchit Chandrakant Patel in criminal case 26-CR-4065, filed Oct. 5 in the 56th District Court. The case is assigned to Judge Lonnie Cox.
The listed charge is engaging in organized criminal activity under Texas Penal Code §71.02(b), classified as a first-degree felony. The offense date shown in the court record is Oct. 3, the day of Patel’s arrest.
Friendswood Police described the underlying allegation as organized criminal activity involving theft valued at less than $300,000. The department’s larger recovery figure encompasses property seized through multiple warrants and is not an individual theft amount established against Patel.
Texas Penal Code §71.02 addresses participation in organized criminal activity involving specified offenses, including theft. A first-degree felony generally carries a potential prison term of five to 99 years or life, along with a possible fine of up to $10,000 under the state’s punishment provisions.
The docket lists a disposition setting for Nov. 17, 2026, at 9 a.m. That entry is a scheduled court proceeding, not a conviction or sentencing decision. The case was listed as pre-indictment when the docket was obtained Oct. 10.
Patel’s Defense Says a Customer Brought Him Gold to Test
In an October 6 bail application, Patel’s attorneys asked the court to reduce his $10 million bond to $100,000. The application was filed as a request for a writ of habeas corpus and included arguments challenging both the amount of bail and Patel’s alleged role in the underlying conduct.
His defense said Patel had experience working with precious metals and specialized in assaying gold, a process used to determine a metal’s purity, quality and weight. According to the filing, he offered those services to customers using specialized equipment.
The attorneys maintained that Patel was holding gold because a customer had asked him to test it for a fee and return it afterward. They argued that, if the gold was stolen, Patel did not know its origins and believed he was dealing with someone who lawfully possessed it.
The filing also disputed Patel’s alleged connection to the people who deceived the elderly victim. His attorneys said he had not contacted the victim or anyone else to defraud them and maintained that he did not know Rajdeep Singh.
Singh was identified in the application as a co-defendant in case 26-CR-3895, with bond set at $5 million. Patel’s lawyers asked the judge to consider that difference alongside his claimed lack of prior arrests, employment history, financial circumstances and ties to Texas.
Those explanations are arguments made by Patel’s defense. They have not been established as findings of fact by the court.
Judge Denied the Request to Reduce Patel’s $10 Million Bond
Judge Cox considered the bond-reduction matter on Oct. 9. The signed court order denied the requested reduction, leaving the previously established $10 million bond unchanged.
The order also set conditions applicable if Patel makes bond. It directs him to turn over his visa/passport and obtain and wear an ankle monitor.
An earlier magistrate’s order, dated Oct. 5, recorded the $10 million cash-or-surety bond in connection with the organized criminal activity charge. The defense subsequently challenged that amount as excessive, arguing it exceeded what Patel and his family could afford.
Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Article 17.15 requires courts setting bail to consider factors including the nature of the alleged offense, the defendant’s ability to post bail, appearance in court and public safety.
The October 9 order resolves the immediate bond-reduction request. Patel remains presumed innocent of the criminal charge unless proven guilty in court.
Police Continue Seeking Victims and Owners of Recovered Property
Friendswood Police believe Patel may be connected to multiple victims in the Houston area. Investigators are also working to determine who owns the gold, silver and cash recovered through the search warrants.
The department released a photograph of a vehicle as part of its request for information. Anyone who recognizes the vehicle or has information about Patel or similar gold-related fraud can contact Friendswood Police at 281-996-3300.
Police Chief Josh Rogers credited investigators and the Galveston County District Attorney’s Office for recovering substantial assets while the investigation continued. The department has asked people who believe they encountered a similar scheme to stop communicating with suspected scammers and contact law enforcement.
Fake Federal Agents Cannot Protect Savings by Collecting Gold
The Federal Trade Commission warns that government impersonators often claim someone’s Social Security number, financial accounts or identity have been compromised. They then instruct the person to move savings into gold, cash or other assets supposedly being held for protection.
Legitimate government agents do not ask people to purchase gold bars, buy gift cards or surrender valuables to couriers. A caller’s claimed agency affiliation, badge number or displayed telephone number should not be treated as proof of identity.
Anyone who receives such instructions should end the communication and contact the agency independently through an official number. A person who has already arranged a suspicious collection of cash or gold should contact local police before the exchange.
Victims should preserve purchase receipts, transfer confirmations, emails and messages that could help investigators trace their money or valuables. Suspected impersonation fraud can be reported to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov or to the FBI through IC3.gov.