Two Indian jewelry stores, one in Irving and the other in Frisco, were simultaneously raided Thursday in connection with an alleged gold scam targeting senior citizens, and two persons were arrested, CBS News reported. These jewelry stores are believed to be only a part of an elaborate fraud that started with identifying senior citizens in Texas, sending them emails convincing them that their names had been associated with criminal acts. These senior citizens were then threatened with arrest if they did not buy gold and hand them over to designated couriers. The authorities said these two Indian jewelry stores were buying the gold from some of these couriers and melting it to make bracelets and other items and selling them to unsuspecting customers or smuggling it outside the country. Everyone involved in the gold bar scam got their cut, the authorities said.
The two tactical raids, conducted by Collin County Sheriff's Office and federal authorities at Tilak Jewelers in Irving and Saima Jewelers in Frisco, ended with millions of dollars in cash and gold seized.
