Last Updated on June 19, 2020, 8:04 AM AST by Anthony Morris
Two men, one from Williamstown and another from Vermont have been taken in custody on the charges of larceny, and the Berkshire District Attorney says they are part of their involvement in a nationwide telephone scam operation which targeted the elderly.
24-year-old Ajaykuma Chaudhari of Pownal, Vermont, and 27-year-old Jitendra Chaudhari, of Williamstown, have been charged with the offence of larceny under false pretences of more than $1,200, larceny from a person over the age of 65 years as well as with conspiracy.
According to the Office of Berkshire District Attorney, the arrests of these two men were made after a three-month investigation into the case which involved the Massachusetts State Police, the Berkshire Law Enforcement Task Force, the Berkshire District Attorney and police in several jurisdictions which included Pittsfield, Adams, North Adams, Lanesborough, Williamstown and Hoosick Falls, New York.
DA spokesman Andrew McKeever said that both these men are expected to be arraigned on Wednesday in Northern Berkshire District Court.
He added that it is still not clear how these two persons are related to each other.
He said that they are suspected of being involved in a multi-state scheme of contacting people over the telephone and then scamming them out of money.
The investigation into the case had started in March when the police departments from different parts of the country began contacting Adams police about the reports of people sending thousands of dollars to an address in Adams. The payments were considered to be potentially fraudulent, according to McKeever.
As part of the investigation, the law enforcement executed 27 separate search warrants on a residence, two businesses and multiple vehicles.
Over $50,000 in cash was seized, and authorities have also accounted for around $300,000 in potentially fraudulent payments, he said.
The investigation is underway, and there can be additional arrests.
McKeever said that anyone who suspects that they may have been victimized as part of this scam to contact their local police department.
Anthony Morris covers stories related to politics and regional developments. His in-depth reporting about governance and reforms makes him stand out in regional journalism, with a deep analysis of political trends and their impact on Caribbean communities.
