Fake Gold Bars, GPS Lead to Rochester Scam Arrests

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - Two men from Illinois were arraigned in Olmsted County court today on felony charges stemming from an investigation by Rochester police that involved fake gold bars and a GPS tracker.

Illinois Men Charged After Rochester Fraud Investigation

Thirty-nine-year-old Hemendrasinh Pravinsinh Dabi and 27-year-old Kiranbhai Kanubhai Vasava each face one count of aiding and abetting theft by swindle and one count of aiding and abetting attempted theft by swindle. Conditional bail for both men was set at $25,000.

Victim Lost $30,000 Before Rochester Police Sting

According to the criminal complaints, a Rochester police officer was dispatched on Monday to investigate a report of theft by false representation. The victim stated that he had given an unknown person $30,000 after he was contacted by another individual who claimed the victim was under investigation for a crime and needed to transfer money to clear his name. The victim indicated he handed over a box containing the cash to a man he described as being around 30 years old, with longer, unkempt hair, and driving a smaller white vehicle.

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The court document says the victim was then contacted through the same phone number and was instructed to arrange for the delivery of ten 1-ounce gold bars on Tuesday. The charges say an officer was with the victim when he spoke on the phone with a man who directed him to deliver the gold bars to whoever showed up for a meeting at a location in northwest Rochester on the afternoon of June 23.

Rochester Police Department Squad v — TSM Rochester

How Rochester Police Used Fake Gold Bars to Catch Suspects

The criminal complaint says Rochester police then devised a plan to create fake gold bars, place them in a package with a GPS tracking device, and obtained a search warrant to facilitate the ruse. Eventually, the package containing the fake gold bars was handed over to a man in a white SUV with Illinois license plates in an exchange that was observed by police.

Suspect Vehicle Stopped Along I-90

The vehicle was followed by investigators through Rochester before it exited the city on Highway 52 and then headed east on I-90, where it was pulled over by law enforcement near the Eyota exit. The criminal complaint says Vasava was driving the SUV and Dabi was in the passenger seat.

Overseas Involvement?

Information included in the criminal complaint suggests the fraud scheme may have been orchestrated from someone overseas. The court document says Dahbi told an investigator that "he got a call from India regarding the package but that he knew nothing about it." He also stated that he and his friend were simply told to pick up a box.

The arresting officers reported finding $50,000 in cash in a backpack on the rear seat, along with pieces of torn bubble wrap consistent with the packaging that accompanied the fake gold bars used in the investigation. The charges indicate paperwork found with the cash linked it to a bank in Stevens Point, Wisconsin.

Police Link Rochester Case to Similar Wisconsin Scam

Rochester police then communicated with law enforcement in the Wisconsin community and were told that a person had been swindled out of $50,000 in cash under similar circumstances earlier that same day. Court documents state that Vasava was identified through surveillance video as the person who met with the Wisconsin victim.

The criminal complaint also notes that, while the package containing the fake gold bars and GPS tracker was not found in the SUV, the damaged GPS tracker was later located on the side of Highway 52 along the route the suspects' SUV followed while leaving Rochester.

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