Illegal alien from California arrested for alleged role in scam to steal almost $500k in gold from a Gainesville woman

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Gurpinder Singh, 20, of French Camp, California, was arrested yesterday in Gainesville for his alleged role in a scam to steal almost $500k in gold from an elderly woman; Gainesville Police Department assisted the FBI and the IRS in the investigation, and Alachua County Sheriff’s (ASO) Deputies assisted in the apprehension of Singh.

On May 22, a Gainesville Police Department (GPD) detective was contacted by agents from the FBI and IRS after they identified an elderly woman who had been targeted by a scam. The victim told these agents that she had received an email that looked like it was from Amazon, indicating that there was a problem with her Campus USA account. She called the phone number in the email, where “John Harris” told her that her identity had been stolen and her Social Security number was compromised. He transferred her to another number, where she spoke to “Michael Chappel,” who had a “heavy Hindi accent” and said he was an agent with the Federal Trade Commission; “Michael” instructed her to withdraw money from her credit union account and purchase gold bars.

The victim paid $101,220 for gold from a local coin and jewelry store and was told by “Michael” to put the gold in a box with an “FTC ID number” and send him the receipt. She was told that a Treasury Department agent would pick up the gold at a gas station in Orange Lake, and she delivered the gold to the “agent” on May 16.

When the FBI and IRS agents contacted the victim, she was again being scammed by the same people and had been told that she needed to pay over $400,000 in gold to protect her money and get a new Social Security number.

The agents and the GPD detective helped the victim send photos of $497,229 in gold bars to “Michael,” and “Michael” told the victim to give the gold to a “Treasury agent” in Gainesville.

The pickup was scheduled for noon on June 1 at a bank on SW Archer Road, and while the victim waited in her vehicle for further instructions from “Michael,” multiple undercover FBI and ASO units waited nearby. Two agents in a nearby parking lot noticed a black Kia parked next to them with an Indian male driver who was watching the victim’s vehicle. The agents noticed that the man was constantly on the phone, and they knew from training and experience that couriers are typically on the phone with their handlers during the transaction.

After some time, the victim was told to go to a gas station near SW Archer Road and SW 122nd Street, and the agents followed the black Kia as it followed the victim’s vehicle to the gas station.

At the gas station, the Indian male went inside the store but did not buy anything; he then moved the Kia next to the victim’s vehicle and, still on his phone, he walked past her vehicle toward a food truck but did not order anything.

Meanwhile, the agents were monitoring the victim’s phone conversations with “Michael,” and “Michael” asked the victim why she had two phones; after that, the Indian male walked back to his vehicle, where he was detained.

The Indian male, identified by his Indian passport and California driver’s license as Singh, reportedly said he had recently flown in from California. The vehicle was reportedly rented in Pensacola.

Post Miranda, Singh reportedly said this was his first pickup and then declined to answer any further questions.

A search warrant is being sought for Singh’s phone, which may lead to further charges.

Singh has been charged with grand theft over $100,000. He has no known criminal history, and Judge Susan Miller-Jones set bail at $200,000; however, he has an ICE hold and will not be released on bail. Judge Miller-Jones ordered that if he is released, he must surrender his passport within 24 hours of release.

Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law