Indian National Jay Sunilbharthi Goswami Arrested Over USD 7.5 Million Elder Fraud Scheme in US
An Indian national, Jay Sunilbharthi Goswami, was arrested in Canada while fleeing to Qatar. Extradited at US request, he faces federal charges for acting as a money mule in a USD 7.5 million elder fraud scheme targeting victims across New York and New Jersey. Scroll below to know how the fraud was executed.
An Indian national residing in New Jersey has been arrested in Canada on charges of acting as a "money mule" in a multi-million-dollar scam targeting elderly victims across the United States. Jay Sunilbharthi Goswami, 21, a native of Gujarat who lived in Jersey City, was detained by Canadian authorities at Toronto Pearson International Airport while attempting to board a flight to Qatar.
He faces federal charges including 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, reports PTI. Indian National Varun Batchigari Accused of Strangling Girlfriend Julissa Salazar, Flees US for Germany.
Arrest and Extradition Proceedings
Goswami initially appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Pedersen on August 17 and was released under specific conditions. A day later, he crossed into Canada. Law enforcement subsequently learned that Goswami had booked a flight from Toronto to Doha for the evening of August 18. Following a US request for provisional arrest pending extradition, Canadian authorities intercepted and arrested him on August 20.
Mechanics of the Fraud Scheme
The investigation began in January 2026, when the IRS Criminal Investigation Division uncovered an internet- and telephone-based fraud operation targeting elderly individuals in the Western District of New York and other regions. According to the criminal complaint, perpetrators contacted victims and falsely claimed their bank accounts or personal information had been compromised. The scammers then persuaded victims to liquidate their assets into cash, gold, or gift cards, often posing as law enforcement officials or government figures to establish trust. Who Is ‘Kamal’? FBI Seeks Indian Fugitive in Lawrence Bishnoi-Linked Extortion Case.
Role as a Money Mule
When the schemes involved cash or gold, the conspirators utilised money mules to collect the valuables directly from the victims and hand them over to higher-ranking members of the criminal network. Investigators allege that Goswami personally collected or conspired to collect cash and gold from elderly victims in New York and New Jersey on at least nine separate occasions. Across those nine incidents, victims ranging in age from 59 to 87 suffered total losses of approximately USD 7.5 million.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 22, 2026 08:03 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
