An Indian man living in the United States on a work visa has been arrested in connection with a nationwide gold scam that has been targeting elderly people across the country.
The accused, identified as Nigam Bhatt, a 25-year-old Indian national based in New Jersey, was reportedly caught while on his way to collect nearly $800,000 worth of gold from a victim.
According to investigators, the scam primarily targeted elderly individuals through phone calls.
The fraudsters allegedly posed as law enforcement officers, federal agents, or bank officials and convinced victims that their bank accounts or Social Security benefits had been frozen.
They were told that the issue could be resolved only by handing over gold to avoid legal trouble.
In this case too, the victim was reportedly manipulated into arranging a large quantity of gold under pressure.
Authorities said detectives in Collin County, Texas alerted the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office in Louisiana after receiving a tip-off that Bhatt was heading there to collect the gold.
Acting on this information, officials arrested him on April 7 before the transaction could take place.
Following the arrest, Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff Gerald Sticker warned the public to remain cautious about such scams.
He advised people to be suspicious of unexpected calls related to financial accounts or legal threats and urged them not to share personal or financial information or send money or valuables to unknown individuals.
The investigation into the scam is still ongoing, and officials say multiple arrests have already been made.
Earlier in January 2026, two Indian jewellery stores in Texas were raided after investigators found alleged links to the same fraud network.
Authorities believe that the gold collected from victims was melted down or converted into jewellery and sold, making it difficult to trace the money trail.
Police had earlier revealed that many such scams originate from call centres, where fraudsters impersonate officials and send forged documents to convince victims. Once the victim agrees, a courier is arranged to collect the gold using a password-based system.
The assets are then moved through a network of handlers and, in some cases, transferred through hawala channels to conceal the origin of the funds.
Officials say the case highlights the growing sophistication of such fraud operations and the need for increased public awareness, especially among elderly citizens.