Douglas County Sheriff's Office Detectives Conduct Undercover Operation to Arrest Gold Scammers

(Douglas County, Colorado) The Douglas County Sheriff's Office is issuing a fraud alert to protect our residents from the latest “gold bullion scam.” Over the past three months, we have received reports that residents were ordered to purchase gold bars and hand-deliver them to suspects.

On May 23, 2024, Douglas County Sheriff's Office detectives arrested two suspects in an undercover operation dubbed “Operation I Love Gold.” The arrests took place in a parking lot near I-25 and Castle Pines Parkway. The 76-year-old victim played a pivotal role in helping detectives apprehend the two suspects.

Detectives were alerted to the case by the victim who said she received a pop-up message on her iPad on March 12 this year, preventing her from using it. The message asked him to call a phone number. She called the number and was told that some of her identities and accounts had been compromised. She was told she was being transferred to the “bank fraud department” and spoke with “Officer Richard Parker, badge #GS7408.” This person had a strong accent. He told the victim that fraudulent checks had been written for pornographic sites, and he said there was an order of silence and that she could not tell anyone about the incident, including her husband . The man ordered the victim to withdraw funds from his accounts to purchase gold bars. He told her the gold bars would be delivered to her safe.

Throughout the investigation, detectives worked closely with the victim, gathering information and building a case against the suspects. When the two suspects arrived to collect the gold bars, detectives from the Financial Crimes Unit and the IMPACT Team intervened and arrested them.

• They have been identified as: Anil Kumar Dhiman (date of birth: 06/02/1989) and Punit Punit (date of birth: 03/04/1994). Their bond was set at $10,000 each.

• Charges include: theft and crimes against people at risk. The charges are merely an accusation and suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The Department of Homeland Security provided our detention center with an immigration detainer for both suspects.

“No one can come into Douglas County, prey on our elderly residents, steal their savings and get away with it. The lead detective in this case is sharp and laser focused on getting these suspects off the streets to protect our most vulnerable residents,” said Douglas County Sheriff Darren Weekly.

In another separate, unrelated case, an 81-year-old woman reported a similar scam in late March. In that case, the victim purchased $429,000 in gold bars and dropped them off to a man in a black SUV in a parking lot in Littleton. She noted the license plate and Douglas County Detective Eric Oppeau tracked the suspect to Illinois. Illinois State Police responded to the scene, arrested the suspect and vehicle, and recovered $1.1 million in gold bars belonging to the victim in Douglas County and another victim in Kansas City. The suspect in this case is Syed Makki (03/08/1988). Detectives identified other victims in other parts of the country. Makki is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Red flags to watch out for: Never keep anything a secret. Never click on a pop-up ad on your computer or phone. Do not allow strangers to remotely access your computer or bank accounts. If you must meet someone, choose a safe, public place like a local bank or a designated safe exchange area near the sheriff's office.

Trust your instincts: If something seems strange or raises suspicion, trust your instincts. Seek advice from trusted family members, friends, or law enforcement before proceeding with any financial transaction.