A 23-year-old Indian man, Tushar Sharma, was arrested in New York State on charges of a $200,000 fraud in which he called individuals and told them they would be arrested if they did not pay.
New York State Police arrested Tushar Sharma, a 23-year-old Indian, earlier this month after an investigation into a $200,000 scam led police to Sharma, who was living in California.
Police said the investigation began after the victim reported receiving a phone call from someone who claimed to be an official from the Department of Homeland Security. The caller told the victim that there was an arrest warrant for the victim related to money laundering and drug trafficking. The victim was told he needed to withdraw cash and drop it at the designated location in the Bainbridge area of New York State.
The victim was told to maintain confidentiality and handed over large sums of cash on two separate occasions. The third time, he was asked to hand over $100,000 to someone who claimed to be a law enforcement officer. After the victim handed over the money, New York State Troopers took the suspect into custody, the money was recovered, and the person was identified as Tushar Sharma. Sharma, charged with grand larceny, fraud scheme and conspiracy, was released on his own recognizance, ordered to remain in New York State, and is scheduled to appear in Bainbridge City Court on April 20, 2026.
Citing the incident, New York State Police reminded the public that law enforcement agencies will never contact individuals by phone to demand money or threaten arrest. Troopers posted Sharma’s photo because they believe there may be other victims of this scam. NYPD also warned that if anyone receives such calls demanding money to escape arrest, they must hang up immediately, must not provide any information, must not send any money, and must contact their local police department.
