Jay Sunilbharthi Goswami arrested in US fraud scheme targeting elderly

Jay Sunilbharthi Goswami, a 21-year-old Indian national from Gujarat, has been arrested for his alleged role as a ‘money mule’ in a multi-million-dollar fraud scheme targeting elderly victims in the United States.

According to the criminal complaint, the scheme operated in the Western District of New York and other areas, where perpetrators convinced victims that their personal information or bank accounts had been compromised. Victims were then persuaded to liquidate assets into cash, gold, or gift cards. Goswami allegedly collected these valuables on at least nine occasions from victims aged between 59 and 87, resulting in total losses of approximately $7.5 million.

After being released under conditions following an initial court appearance on August 17, Goswami fled to Canada. He was subsequently detained by Canadian authorities at Toronto Pearson International Airport while attempting to board a flight to Doha, Qatar. He faces charges of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.