Men accused of scamming elderly KY victims out of more than $100K
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Two suspects arrested after sting operations for scams stealing over $100,000.
- Scammers accessed victims’ computers, posed as officials and coerced cash and gold transfers.
- Sheriff’s Office ran undercover stings, charged suspects and urged elders to hang up calls.
Two alleged scammers who preyed on elderly victims in Franklin County were recently arrested in sting operations, according to the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office.
The two men’s scams were separate but used similar tactics to steal money, police say. They accessed victims’ computers through pop-up icons on the screen, instructing the user to click the icon and follow instructions.
The scammers, acting as government officials, then communicated with the victims and set up a meeting location to transfer the money. Once the scammers knew they had tricked the victim, they contacted the victim again to ask for more money.
Two suspects, Harshit Singh, 27, and Adil Saudager, 45, have been charged in the scams. Det. Jamie Watson, who investigated the scams, said there is no known connection between Singh and Saudager.
Singh told investigators he arrived in the U.S. from India about 20 days earlier and was in the country on a Canadian work visa, according to the sheriff’s office. Detectives found an identification card for “Private Security and Investigative Services” in his wallet.
Saudager is being uncooperative with detectives, Watson said. He is lodged at the Franklin County Detention Center.
Details about the scams
The first scam happened in September. Franklin County Sheriff Dwayne Depp said an elderly victim was contacted by someone posing as a Federal Trade Commission agent and claimed the victim’s financial accounts would be frozen unless he transferred $30,000 to the scammers.
The victim withdrew the funds and gave the money to a scammer at the end of his driveway using a passcode on Sept. 9, according to court documents. Depp said after delivering the money, the victim told his son what happened, and he reported the activity to the sheriff’s office.
Detectives launched an undercover operation and conducted a sting operation to arrange a second, controlled transfer of money. Depp said officials carried out the sting Sept. 11, and Singh went to the victim’s house in a black BMW with no license plate.
As the victim went to deliver the money, sheriff’s office deputies approached Singh’s vehicle and attempted to arrest him. Court documents say he fled, but was apprehended at a nearby roundabout after running a stop sign on Cardwell Lane.
“Thanks to these men and women behind me,” Depp said while standing in front of detectives and deputies during a Friday news conference. “That was thwarted, and the gentleman was arrested. Hopefully we won’t have to worry about him again.”
Singh admitted to detectives he had delivered money stolen from the first pickup to people at a gas station on Shelbyville Road in Louisville. He also said he was using a friend’s car and was instructed to remove the license plate.
Singh was charged with six counts of impersonating a peace officer, two counts of theft by deception of $10,000 or more, two counts of wanton abuse or neglect of an adult, obscuring the identity of a machine of $10,000 or more, first-degree fleeing or evading police, disregarding a stop sign and failure to produce an insurance card. He was released from jail on Sept. 14 after posting a $50,000 bond, according to court records.
Singh was scheduled to be arraigned Oct. 7 in Franklin District Court, but he did not show up for the hearing, according to court documents. An order was submitted to forfeit his bond, and a warrant for his arrest was issued Oct. 28. He remained on the run as of Friday morning.
The second scam was reported to the sheriff’s office Oct. 24. Depp said scammers acted as government officials and convinced an elderly victim to send $10,000 to San Diego.
The scammers later came back to the same victim and asked for $70,000 in gold. The victim went to a jewelry store in Frankfort, retrieved $70,000 in gold and delivered it to the scammers, Depp said.
The scammers contacted the victim a third time, this time asking for $100,000 in gold. Court documents say the victim tried to stop communicating with the scammers, who insisted the transfer of gold was the only way to regain her identity.
The scammers threatened to freeze the victim’s bank accounts and assured her the funds would be held in a secure federal account, according to court documents. The scammers also guaranteed the victim she would be reimbursed after the issue was resolved.
The victim reported the activity to the sheriff’s office, who once again set up a sting operation to arrange a controlled transfer of the gold. Watson said detectives worked with a jewelry store in Lexington, and it took about seven business days to acquire $100,000 in gold.
During the sting operation, Saudager approached the victim’s vehicle and identified himself as the agent with the passcode for the gold transfer. He was arrested and charged with engaging in organized crime, theft by deception of more than $10,000, attempted theft by deception of more than $10,000 and impersonating a public servant.
Saudager worked with at least three other accomplices during the attempted theft of $100,000 of gold, according to court documents.
Saudager is being held at the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office on a $500,000 bond, according to court records. He is scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing in Franklin District Court on Nov. 25.
Tips on how to avoid elderly scams
Scammers often pose as government officials or sheriff’s office deputies when trying to steal money from people. Franklin County Chief Deputy Daniel Wills said the sheriff’s office will never call people seeking information or money.
“If someone says you owe money, just hang up the phone,” Wills said.
Wills also said people should never share their Social Security number or bank account numbers over the phone.
Anyone who may be a victim of a scam or knows of any suspicious activity is encouraged to contact the sheriff’s office at 502-875-8740.
