AHMEDABAD: Prosecutors in Kenosha, United States, have initiated felony charges against two Gujaratis residing in the Chicago suburbs for allegedly embezzling over $653,000 worth of gold from an elderly woman in North Kenosha. Investigators indicate that this incident is part of a broader, internationally coordinated scam. The charges were officially filed on November 20. The Kenosha County District Attorney’s Office has accused Jagdish Kumar Nandani and Chintan Thakkar of money laundering exceeding $100,000 and theft of movable property surpassing $100,000. According to investigators, the scheme commenced when the woman received multiple calls from an individual falsely representing himself as a federal agent. The caller purportedly informed her that her bank accounts had been compromised and were associated with criminal activities, suggesting that the safest course of action was to convert her savings into gold. “This was a calculated effort to ensnare a vulnerable elderly citizen,” remarked an officer acquainted with the case, noting that such calls frequently involve trained operatives based overseas. The woman surrendered $332,750 worth of gold on March 1 and an additional $139,500 on March 15 at her residence, under the impression that she was assisting federal authorities. Officers reported that she subsequently sold her house, fearing it too was at risk, and converted that sum into gold before relinquishing it. Her total financial loss surpassed $653,000.
According to court documents, law enforcement in Addison, Illinois, apprehended Nandani in March. Officers reported that he confessed to collecting gold in Kenosha, and phone location data indicated his presence near the victim’s home during the times of the transactions. The criminal complaint reveals that Nandani recognized Thakkar as a co-conspirator, and that both individuals were communicating with contacts in India via messaging applications. A person referred to as “Rahul” is believed to be responsible for assigning pickup routes and giving directions. Officers noted that Nandani typically kept between $1,000 and $1,500 for each pickup, while delivering the remaining gold to various drop-off locations in Chicago. “Most of the profits were funneled to handlers outside the United States,” an investigator stated, further mentioning that the two Gujaratis were part of an organized network. Kenosha police were notified after Addison officers discovered the victim’s information on Nandani’s phone. Arrest warrants have been issued for both suspects, who have not yet been apprehended.
