Indian national arrested in New York over $200K scam posing as federal agent with fake warrant

There’s a new scam starting to get entrenched within New York’s financial district. An unsuspecting individual receives a call claiming there’s a warrant out for their arrest. If they want it all to go away, they’re told to pay a “large amount of cash,” with the promise that the issue will disappear.

In reality, it doesn’t. The scammers simply come back asking for more. Such was the case with 23-year-old Indian national Tushar Sharma, who called a victim in New York and claimed there was a warrant out for his arrest. From there, Sharma convinced the victim that authorities were pursuing him for money laundering and narcotics trafficking, even going as far as to claim he worked for the newly led Department of Homeland Security.

According to WNBG, Sharma instructed the victim to withdraw $100,000, package it in a specific way, and drop it off at a designated location in the Bainbridge area. He managed to repeat the scheme, securing another $100,000, this time with the added instruction that the victim should not tell anyone.

It took some time, but Sharma returned again, hoping to add to the $200,000 he had already taken. By then, however, the victim decided that whatever leverage Sharma claimed to have was not worth continued payments and alerted authorities. On April 1, after Sharma collected another package of cash, he was arrested by troopers.

Following the arrest, troopers used the case to remind the public that law enforcement would never call and demand money. Any such call should immediately be treated as fraudulent. New York State Police advised residents to remain vigilant and to contact local law enforcement if they encounter similar extortion attempts.

Sharma is currently facing three charges: grand larceny in the second degree, a class C felony; scheme to defraud in the first degree, a class E felony; and conspiracy in the fourth degree, also a class E felony. He is scheduled to appear before the Bainbridge Town Court on April 20, where he will enter his plea.

Reportedly, the money taken from the victim has been recovered. Very little else is known about Sharma, aside from the fact that he moved from India and was based in California. It remains unclear whether he was acting alone or as part of a coordinated group, but that will likely come out in court.

Troopers also explained that these scams typically begin with a phone call or text message, formats that feel more urgent than email and are less likely to be ignored. Scammers then create a sense of panic, convincing victims that they are wanted by authorities or owe fines that must be paid immediately.

There’s a common saying when it comes to avoiding scams: an honest man can never get conned. At its core, a con usually begins with the promise of a shortcut. But if you ever find yourself the victim of such a ruse, never feel too embarrassed to reach out to the authorities. It’s never the victim’s fault or naivety that caused the crime.