An Indian national who had resided in californiaArrested in Chenango county The case was charged Monday in connection with an investigation into an alleged fraud scheme in which one victim was defrauded of $200,000, according to New York State Police.
Who is Tushar Sharma? Indian national charged in fraud case
Tushar Sharma, 23, from India, was detained on Wednesday, April 1. He faces multiple charges, including second-degree grand larceny, a class C felony, first-degree conspiracy to defraud, a class E felony, and fourth-degree conspiracy, a class E felony.
Sharma’s arrest follows the launch of a fraud investigation into victims who suffered losses of more than $200,000.
What do we know about the alleged scam involving Tushar Sharma
The incident is part of a rise in a particular scam in which individuals are falsely told they are “wanted” and must pay immediately to prevent arrest.
According to WBNG troopers, scammers typically contact victims by phone, text message or email, often posing as law enforcement officials, court officials or government agencies. They claim that the victim owes a fine or has an active arrest warrant and uses various methods to force the victim to pay. However, law enforcement never demands payment or demands money over the phone.
In the case involving Sharma, victims reported receiving phone calls from people claiming to represent the Department of Justice. homeland security. The caller falsely claimed there was a warrant for his arrest related to money laundering and drug trafficking.
The victim was instructed to withdraw a large amount of cash, package it in a specific manner and then transport it to a designated location in the Bainbridge area. The victim was told not to notify anyone and then twice handed over two large sums of cash.
On Wednesday, the victim was directed to meet with an individual claiming to be a law enforcement officer who was to collect additional funds at a location in Bainbridge, according to police. This will be the third incident involving more than $100,000.
The victim handed over the cash to Sharma, at which point police intervened and took him into custody. The money was successfully recovered.
Sharma will appear in Bainbridge Town Court
Sharma was identified and processed before being transported to the Chenango County Jail and later released. He was ordered to remain in New York state and is scheduled to appear in Bainbridge Town Court on April 20, according to police.
