A Scranton man has been charged in connection with a scam that cost a Lehigh County woman more than $3 million, including a large number of gold bars, authorities say.
Dharmikkumar Sutariya, 25, faces multiple charges related to the theft of two gold bars totaling more than $215,400 — though authorities say the woman’s total losses were much larger.
The investigation, which spans two counties, remains ongoing, according to a Monday news release from Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin Holihan.
The investigation started in May when police in Kingston, Luzerne County, identified a potential fraud victim and contacted state police. A state trooper made contact with the 68-year old woman, who lives in Upper Milford Township, Holihan said.
The woman told police that in January she received a computer notification that someone had used her bank account to purchase $18,000 in pornography. She did not contact authorities because she was embarrassed, according to Holihan, who noted that this is a common tactic by scammers to get their victims to comply with their demands.
The bogus notification included a phone number that the woman thought was the fraud department at her bank, and when she called it, the woman spoke with someone pretending to be an agent with the Federal Trade Commission, Holihan said.
The person the woman spoke with claimed her account had been compromised and told her to withdraw the money and use it to buy gold bars. She was told to give those gold bars to “couriers,” who would hang on to them for safekeeping.
Between February and May, the woman purchased a large number of gold bars and gave them to the “couriers” as directed, Holihan said.
Sutariya was one of those “couriers,” authorities allege. On May 13, he arrived at the woman’s home and was given two gold bars, Holihan said.
Sutariya is charged with two counts of theft by unlawful taking; receiving stolen property; false impression; and criminal use of a communication facility — all felonies. He is in custody in Luzerne County, Holihan said.
Holihan said the investigation is a reminder to never give out personal bank information over the phone or by email, noting that banks and other financial institutions won’t ask for passwords or account information that way.
“Anything that is of value and untraceable — gold, jewels, gift cards and cryptocurrency — is very often linked to fraud and will not be requested as legitimate payment,” Holihan said.
The case is being investigated by state Trooper Francis J. Vanore and Kingston police detective John Anthony. It will be prosecuted by Lehigh County Senior Deputy District Attorney Ramma R. Mineo, who supervises the county’s elder abuse task force.