Gold Scam Nearly Cost Victim $70K, Suspects Arrested In Sting

SONOMA COUNTY, CA — Three suspects have been arrested in a phone scam that almost cost victims $70,000, Sonoma County Sheriff's Office said today.

The trio is suspected of trying to defraud a Sonoma County man of more than $450,000 worth of cash and gold.

A scammer claiming to be a government agent convinced the man that his bank accounts had been hacked, according to the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office.

This week, they contacted the victim again and arranged to send a courier to pick up more gold.

Sonoma County detectives followed the courier to Fremont where they identified three suspects, Keyur Chodvadiya, Kuldip Choudhary, and Mohammed Essa.

Detectives followed one of the suspects, who was arrested at a local FedEx office attempting to mail the gold to another state.

All three suspects were returned to Sonoma County, where they were charged for theft and elder abuse.

They have been charged with grand theft, theft by false pretenses, conspiracy, possession of stolen property, according to the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office.

A bail enhancement of $300,000 was approved by a judge.

The investigation is ongoing.