On November 21, 2025, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office in Maine arrested 35-year-old Erwin, Texas resident Gautam Harkhani for facilitating a Social Security scam, where
- Harkhani will call his victims, in this case an elderly woman, under the guise of a commissioner with the United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and threaten to arrest them for money laundering and trafficking drugs through the US-Mexico border.
- In order to get rid of these “arrest warrants,” the victim was asked to withdraw $261,000 from their bank account and convert it into gold bars before handing them off to a designated courier, or money mule.
- Once the money is received, Harkhani will dermand an additional $267,000 in gold from the victim.
Harkhani was arrested on charges of criminal conspiracy and theft by deception. He is currently being held at the Two Bridges Regional Jail on a $50,000 bail.
https://www.wmtw.com/article/lincoln-county-maine-scam-arrest-sting-operation/69513457