An Indian national has been arrested in the US for his alleged role as a money mule in a multi-million-dollar fraud scheme targeting elderly victims. Jay Sunilbharthi Goswami, 21, a native of Gujarat who was living in Jersey City, New Jersey, was detained in C An Indian national has been arrested in the US for his alleged role as a money mule in a multi-million-dollar fraud scheme targeting elderly victims. Jay Sunilbharthi Goswami, 21, a native of...
An Indian national has been arrested in the US for his alleged role as a “money mule” in a multi-million-dollar fraud scheme targeting elderly victims.
Jay Sunilbharthi Goswami, 21, a native of Gujarat who was living in Jersey City, New Jersey, was detained in Canada while allegedly attempting to flee to Qatar.
Goswami was charged with wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. If convicted, the charges carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, according to US Attorney Michael DiGiacomo.
Goswami appeared before US Magistrate Judge Mark Pedersen on August 17 and was released under certain conditions. The following day, he crossed into Canada. US authorities later learned that he had booked a flight from Toronto to Doha scheduled for the evening of August 18.
Canadian authorities detained him at Toronto Pearson International Airport and formally arrested him on August 20 following a US request for provisional arrest pending extradition.
According to the complaint, the IRS Criminal Investigation Division began investigating an internet and telephone-based fraud scheme in January 2026. The alleged scheme targeted elderly people in New York’s Western District and other parts of the US.
The perpetrators allegedly contacted victims and falsely claimed that their bank accounts, money or personal information had been compromised. They then persuaded them to convert their assets into cash, gold or gift cards.
The suspects allegedly later posed as law enforcement officers or other officials to convince victims to hand over the valuables. When cash or gold was involved, “money mules” were allegedly used to collect the valuables from victims and deliver them to other members of the network.
Goswami is accused of acting as one such money mule. Investigators allege that he personally collected, or conspired to collect, cash and gold from elderly victims in New York and New Jersey on at least nine occasions.
The nine victims were between 59 and 87 years old and collectively lost around $7.5 million, according to the complaint.
The complaint further alleges that Goswami opened a bank account in the US and deposited more than $90,000 in cash between August 1, 2025, and April 6, 2026.
Investigators believe the deposits were consistent with payments Goswami allegedly received for his role as a money mule in the fraud operation.
The case remains an allegation at this stage, and Goswami is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
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