October 26th 2024.
Two men, Anil Dhiman and Punit Punit, were caught in a scamming scheme and have been sentenced to six years in prison. The district attorney's office revealed that the two Indian immigrants had orchestrated an elaborate plan to deceive an elderly woman in Castle Pines. They were able to convince her to purchase and hand over around $203,000 worth of gold bars.
According to the authorities, the fraudsters contacted the woman, posing as an agent, and informed her that her identity had been stolen. They claimed that someone was using her financial information to write fraudulent checks to pornography websites. To fix the issue, the woman was instructed to open a new bank account, transfer a large sum of money into it, and use the funds to buy gold bars from a store in Littleton. The scammers then asked her to hand over the gold bars to an "undercover agent" in a parking lot in Castle Pines. Even after receiving the precious metals, the woman continued to receive calls and messages, instructing her to purchase more gold to restore her identity.
The Douglas County Sheriff's Office became aware of the scam in May when they received multiple reports from other victims who were asked to buy and deliver gold bars to the suspects in a parking lot. After being alerted, the authorities set up a sting operation with the help of the woman and were able to catch Punit and Dhiman in the act of picking up more gold bars.
In court, Dhiman pleaded guilty to conspiracy and attempting to commit theft from an at-risk adult, as well as conspiracy and attempting to commit theft totaling between $100,000 and $1 million. Punit also pleaded guilty to similar charges. Both men have been ordered to pay restitution and will be deported back to India after serving their sentences. It was discovered that they had previously committed a similar crime in California and traveled to Colorado specifically to engage in criminal activities.
Sherri Giger, the deputy district attorney, expressed her disgust at the actions of the two men, stating that they had targeted and preyed on an elderly adult not just once, but twice. She also mentioned that the victim and her husband, who had worked hard their entire lives, would now be unable to enjoy their retirement due to the selfish actions of the scammers.
It is important to stay alert and be cautious of potential scams, especially targeting vulnerable individuals. The authorities have advised the public to be wary of any suspicious calls or messages asking for personal information or large sums of money. By staying informed and vigilant, we can help prevent others from falling victim to similar schemes.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
