On April 3, 2026, New York State Police arrested 23-year-old Indian national and Arcadia, California resident Tushar Sharma for facilitating a Social Security scam, where
The scammers will call their victims under the false personation of an agent from the United States Department of Homeland Security.
The agents will falsely claim there was a warrant out for their victims’ arrest for money laundering and smuggling narcotics through the US-Mexico border.
To avoid being “arrested,” the victim was asked to withdraw $100,000 from their bank account and hand it over to a designated courier or money mule, who will pose as a law enforcement officer.
When the money is collected, the scammers will demand more money from their victim.
The victim will also be asked not to disclose anything about the scam.
Sharma was arrested after attempting to collect the cash from the victim, and has since been charged with
2nd degree grand larceny
1st degree scheme to defraud
4th degree conspiracy
He is ordered to remain in New York State and report to the Bainbridge Town Court on April 20. However, given he is an Indian national, he’d probably be better off enjoying Gautmo.
I have said it before, some governors (Dems) help our imported scammer trash to hide. Sanctuary States like California, New York, Illinois, Minnesota, Virginia… My governor will argue that he was only doing it to survive and condemn any attempt to deport him while blaming the federal government for not catching him. We have foreign nationals screaming racism if they don’t get their way here and our local governments shield those same criminals, to include lowering their crimes to misdemeanors from felonies and limiting fines.
In NY, a 4th-degree conspiracy and 1st-degree scheme to defraud are the lowest levels of felonies (Class E), 2nd-degree grand larceny is a mid-level felony (Class C)
For a first-time offender, prison is not mandatory for these charges, and probation is the probable outcome (assuming they don’t plea down to misdemeanors). However, if the person has a prior felony conviction within the last 10 years, they face a mandatory minimum sentence for the Class C felony, likely 90 days.
So, chances are that the very worst thing that will happen to him is probation, if that.
UPDATE: Sharma was arrested again, this time for helping facilitate a Microsoft technical support scam that stole $900,000 from an elderly Trumbull, Ct resident. In this scam,
The scammers will create fake virus popups, urging their victims to call a designated “suppoat” line.
However, when the scammers answer, they won’t pose as Microsoft employees, but rather FTC agents.
The victims will be asked to “protect” their assets and their family by converting their money into gold coins and handing them off to a desginated courier or money mule.
Sharma’s new arrest was on charges of
1st degree conspiracy to commit grand larceny
Criminal attempt to commit 1st-degree grand larceny.
He is currently being held on a $150,000 bond and is due to appear in Bridgeport Superior Court.
My questions are ‘What is his legal status in the US?’ and ‘Why do we keep dealing with third world criminals like this?’ Hopefully a jack boot comes down soon.
Referring to him as “an Indian National” would indicate that he is a citizen of India, but I suppose he could have dual citizenship.
Just about every single YouTuber who scambaits: But, but… “They only scam because there are no opportunities in India.” Frequent arrests in England, Canada, Australia and the US have determined that is a lie.
I want to add that I am not against people from other countries immigrating to the US if it is done legally and if no crimes are committed outside of simple mistakes like a traffic tickets and such. Coming to America to commit crimes or take advantage of people should not be a goal here or in any other country for that matter. Scamming has been turned into a society destroying tool driving financial distress and poverty with only the lowest of the low and greediest participating on the scammers side.
I have absolutely no issue with people immigrating to the United States, or any country — legally, working hard, building a life, and contributing positively to society. Most immigrants do exactly that.
What I reject is the excuse that organized phone scams are simply the result of “lack of opportunity.” Arrest records and investigations in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and elsewhere show many scammers knowingly target innocent people because it is profitable, not because they had no other choice.
Scamming has evolved into a society-damaging industry that destroys lives, savings, creates financial hardship, and preys heavily on the elderly and vulnerable. It erodes trust, fuels poverty, misery and leaves enormous emotional devastation behind. Coming to another country to exploit or victimize innocent people should never be acceptable anywhere in the world.
There’s a massive difference between honest immigrants seeking opportunity and criminals seeking victims.
