Man accused of posing as FTC agent, stealing $900K in gold coins from Trumbull resident
A 23-year-old man was arrested last week after he claimed to be a Federal Trade Commission agent and collected $900,000 in gold coins from a Trumbull resident, police said.
Tushar Sharma, who is from India but currently lives in Arcadia, California, was arrested on Thursday by the Trumbull Police Department Detective Bureau and Crime Suppression Unit and the Bridgeport Police Department Task Force.
He was charged with conspiracy to commit larceny in the first degree and criminal attempt to commit larceny in the first degree, according to police.
A Trumbull resident told police she received a Microsoft Windows pop-up message in March that included the phone number of someone claiming to be an FTC agent.
She called the number and was told by the person on the phone that her “assets and family were in danger and was instructed to transfer funds to a purported federal agent for safekeeping,” police said.
The resident transferred approximately $900,000 in gold coins during two separate in-person exchanges in public parking lots, according to police.
She became suspicious before a planned third exchange, in which Sharma was expecting an additional $300,000 in gold coins, and reported the incident to Trumbull police. Investigators arranged this meeting for Thursday, police said.
Sharma directed the Trumbull resident to a predetermined location and approached her car to get the gold coins. That’s when Trumbull and Bridgeport police took him into custody.
He was held on a $150,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in Bridgeport Superior Court. When Sharma was arrested, police said they learned New York State Police had previously arrested him in connection with a similar incident.
Police said there could be more victims in the area, and hope his mugshot can help identify people who may have been in contact with him.
“The Trumbull Police Department is reminding the public, particularly older adults and their families, to remain vigilant regarding fraud schemes involving individuals impersonating law enforcement officers, court officials, or government agencies,” police said. “Scammers frequently use telephone calls, text messages, emails, and computer pop-up alerts to pressure victims into making payments using cash, gift cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency, or other non-traceable methods.”
Police also reminded the public that law enforcement will never demand payment over the phone or ask people to transfer money for safekeeping. They ask that you report suspicious activity to your local police department.
Anyone with any information about this incident, or anyone who believes they may have been a victim of a scam like this, is asked to contact the Trumbull Police Department Detective Bureau.
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