Indian-origin couple arrested in ₹33 cr real estate fraud in US

An Indian-origin couple that was often seen in charity events, bougie Bollywood parties, and high-end events were charged for fraud in US Sidhartha and Sunita Mukherjee were allegedly involved  in a real estate fraud in North Texas, US.

According to authorities, Sidhartha ‘Sammy’ Mukherjee and his wife Sunita allegedly convinced over 100 investors to part with at least $4 million (approximately ₹33 crore) by promising investments in non-existent real estate projects, according to local media.

The couple allegedly had a high-profile public image to gain people’s trust. They also reportedly hosted charity events and projected themselves as ‘successful’ businesspeople. 

As per reports, the couple provided victims with forged Dallas Housing Authority paperwork that compelled people to get involved in a ‘legitimate-looking’ project.

A couple had filed a complaint after they had lost a whopping $3,25,000, prompting investigators to look into the matter. The case was handed over to the FBI, and recently Sammy and Sunita were held at the U S Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility.

If convicted, the NRI couple could be sentenced to a 99-year jail term.

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