1. Woman scammed into buying expensive jewelry
2. Indian authorities investigate jewelry scam targeting US woman.
Accident – Death – Obituary News :
Shopkeepers in India are facing allegations of deceiving an American woman, known as Cherish, into purchasing cheap gold-plated jewellery for a staggering Rs60m (£563,000; $718,000).
The incident took place at a store in Johri Bazar, located in the state of Rajasthan in western India. Cherish, who had bought the jewellery nearly two years ago, was provided with a hallmark certificate at the time of purchase, confirming the authenticity of the ornament.
Upon returning to the US and exhibiting the jewellery at an event, Cherish discovered that the piece was, in fact, a counterfeit worth a mere Rs300 (£2.82; $4). This revelation prompted her to return to India to confront the shopkeeper, Gaurav Soni.
Despite the allegations, the shopkeepers have denied any wrongdoing.
Following the discovery, Cherish sought assistance from the US embassy and lodged a police complaint against the jeweller and his father, Rajendra Soni. The authorities conducted tests on the jewellery, revealing that the diamonds were, in fact, moonstones and the gold content was significantly lower than claimed.
In response, the accused jewellers alleged that Cherish had absconded with jewellery from their store. However, CCTV footage disproved their claims.
One individual, Nandkishore, who was involved in issuing the fake hallmark certificate, has been apprehended by the police. Special teams have been assembled to track down Gaurav Soni and Rajendra Soni, who are currently evading law enforcement.
Jaipur police’s deputy chief, Bajrang Singh Shekhawat, stated, “Following the complaint by this woman from the US, the police also received several other complaints alleging fraud worth crores by Gaurav Soni and Rajendra Soni, which are currently under investigation.”
Cherish, who initially connected with the Sonis via Instagram in 2022, expressed her dismay, stating, “They have been systematically cheating me in jewellery. They have been shipping me nine-carat and gold plates instead of 14-carat. They have been shipping me entirely moonstone instead of natural diamond. It’s not just me, it’s about 10 other designers who are impacted by him and his fraud. He included fake certificates. Just nothing is real.”
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US woman tricked into spending on jewellery, Indian police say
Woman tricked into spending on jewellery, Indian police say.
