KENTWOOD, La. — A Morris County resident has been arrested in connection with an alleged scam targeting an elderly Louisiana resident and involving hundreds of thousands of dollars in gold, authorities said.
Nigam Bhatt, 25, of Parsippany-Troy Hills, was arrested April 7 and charged with extortion, according to the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office. Officials said Bhatt is in the United States on a work visa from India.
The arrest followed a multi-agency investigation involving the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Collin County Sheriff’s Office in Texas.
Authorities said the investigation uncovered a scam in which victims are contacted and told their bank accounts or Social Security benefits have been frozen. Victims are then instructed to provide gold in exchange for restoring access to their funds.
Detectives identified several victims, including a senior citizen in the Kentwood area.
According to officials, investigators learned of Bhatt’s planned visit to collect additional funds. With assistance from the Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office, authorities arrested him before he could obtain more than $800,000 in gold from the victim.
The investigation remains ongoing, and officials said the scam may involve additional victims.
