'Bollywood-style performances': Indian couple in Texas accused of multimillion-dollar fraud. Who are Sammy and Sunita Mukherjee?
Sidhartha Mukherjee, popularly known as Sammy, and his wife Sunita, an Indian couple in North Texas, who became local celebrities because of their Bollywood-style performances, have been arrested for allegedly defrauding more than 100 people in a fake investment scheme worth over $4 million.
Prosecutors said they led a very glamorous life to gain people's trust, hosted high-society events, Bollywood-style galas and became charitable community figures. But at those events, they used to convince people to invest in real estate projects that never existed.
"They will make you believe that they are very successful businesspeople," alleged fraud victim Terry Parvaga told CBS News. "But they will take every single penny you have."
The investigation into the Mukherjees began nearly two years ago when Euless Police detective Brian Brennan agreed to take on the case after several complaints from victims were dismissed as civil disputes. Brennan told the CBS News that a couple claimed that they lost $325,000 in an alleged investment scheme.
Modus operandi of the Mukherjees
Investors and alleged victims said the Mukherjees provided them with remodeling contracts and invoices from the Dallas Housing Authority that made them believe in the authenticity of his projects.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Earn upto 36 Credits from IITB
PG Diploma from IIT-B
Learn More
Undo
But eventually, it was found out that those were fake documents.
According to the affidavit for arrest, the Mukherjees used a fake company with fictitious employees to apply for a federal Paycheck Protection Program loan.
An FBI agent met Sammy Mukherjee during the investigation and asked him whether he recognizes names like "Richard Jackson," "Nikki Reynolds" and "Mike Summerville". These were people listed on a payroll form that Mukherjee submitted as part of the PPP loan application, but he said he did not know the,.
"In [my] 23 years, [Sammy Mukherjee] is probably the most prolific fraudster I've seen," Brennan told the CBS News. "Tentacles going in all different directions."
In May, the Mukherjees hosted a charity gala with a Bollywood personality present, before they were arrested by the ICE.
Who are the Mukherjees of Texas?
According to documents, the couple came to the United States from India seeking asylum. Their current immigration status is not known. The arrest affidavit said Sammy Mukherjee has outstanding fraud warrants in Mumbai.
In the local circle in Texas, Sammy is known as a Bollywood singer.
Sammy Mukgerejee denied all allegations and said people were defaming him because they are jealous of his success.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Indian Express
21 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
Transgender Bangladeshi national lived in India for decade, traced in Bhopal
BHOPAL: A transgender Bangladeshi national, Abdul Kalam, had been living in Bhopal for the past ten years under the assumed identity of Neha Kinnar. Surprisingly, during this time, the Bangladeshi national had even managed to get valid identity documents to legitimise herself as an Indian citizen. Acting on specific intelligence inputs from a specialised unit tracking foreign nationals residing illegally in the state, Abdul Kalam alias Neha Kinnar was recently traced to the Mangalwara locality in old Bhopal. The Mangalwara and Budhwara areas of old Bhopal are home to a significant transgender population, and Abdul Kalam, living under the identity of Neha Kinnar, had also taken up residence there. 'The third gender individual was recently traced and has since then been questioned by a dedicated team of cops. Initial questioning has revealed that Abdul Kalam, who is aged around 30-32 years presently, entered India illegally, while aged 17 years and since then has lived in various parts of the country, including West Bengal, Assam, Maharashtra and MP. Abdul Kalam has been residing under the assumed identity of Neha Kinnar in Bhopal since the last ten years,' a senior Bhopal police official told TNIE.
Time of India
30 minutes ago
- Time of India
In 1st digi-arrest conviction, cops cited 108 victims, 100-crore loss
Kolkata: The nine digital arrest convicts who now face a lifetime behind bars have scammed 108 people and defrauded them to the tune of Rs 100 crore. On Friday, TOI reached out to some of these victims. Dipankar Chatterjee (67) remembers Oct 18 last year. "The first call came from men posing as customer service, threatening to cut off my phone connection as I reportedly committed a crime linked to Mumbai police." For the next three days, Chatterjee — a retired civil assistant engineer with the state panchayat and rural development — was put under 24/7 surveillance by the accused. "It is a nightmare I will not forget. " He is one of the 108 victims cited in court by investigators. Unlike many others, Chatterjee and his wife literally had to live on the streets to pay off the Rs 41 lakh that was extorted from them. With no way out, he and his wife sold their Mankundu residence to raise the money they borrowed to pay the fraudsters. His wife suffers from a terminal illness, and the family had nothing left for her treatment. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata "In Feb, we shifted to Ramkrishna Mission's old-age shelter at Barisha. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo On April 1, when I went to court to provide my statement, I met another couple who lost Rs 1 crore," said Chatterjee. Chatterjee says he was not aware of the sentencing until informed by TOI. "While it is satisfying to see the accused being convicted, it will be a huge relief if we can get back at least a portion of the lost money. I was asked to contact the Ranaghat Cyber Cell a month after I gave my evidence, but nothing materialised. I understand the importance of the probe and conviction, but they need to understand my plight. We are old, and even buying basic medicines is now a challenge," said Chatterjee. Partha Kumar Mukhopadhyay, the original complainant of the case in which the nine accused have been convicted, had a similar experience. The Kalyani resident received the fraud calls on Oct 19 last year. "Technically, both extortions were carried out at the same time," said an officer. Mukherjee got a WhatsApp call and someone calling himself SI Hemraj Koli of Andheri PS claimed Mukherjee was involved in a financial fraud. "He threatened that if I didn't comply with his instructions, he would get me and my wife arrested. He compelled me to deposit Rs 1 crore between Oct 19 and Nov 11," Mukherjee said. Mukherjee said he was "satisfied" with the probe and was "waiting eagerly" to know if he can get back some of the money.
Time of India
35 minutes ago
- Time of India
CM warns Rahul, Kharge of legal action
Guwahati: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday warned of potential legal action against Congress's national leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi if investigation substantiates that their speeches instigated attacks on security forces during an eviction drive in Paikan Reserve Forest in Goalpara district on Thursday. Kharge and Gandhi visited Assam on Wednesday and addressed a party workers' gathering at Chaygaon, about 40 km from Guwahati. Referring to Kharge's statement on Wednesday that Congress will rehabilitate the evicted people in the state, Sarma said, "Because of these kinds of speeches, people get encouraged and those evicted people started throwing stones and beating police with sticks and various other weapons (at Paikan)." He said police have registered a case, and "will go through the speeches made by Gandhi and Kharge. If we see that there are elements which invite penal action, they will not hesitate to take action against them". O by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Ranked: The 25 Best Cities To Live In The World Learn More Undo n Thursday morning, violence erupted in Paikan Reserve Forest and one civilian died and at least 20 people, including police officers, were injured in clashes between encroachers and security personnel. The clash at Paikan is the latest in a series of high-profile eviction operations in Assam targeting encroachment on forest and govt land, a policy vigorously pursued by Sarma's administration, often accompanied by political controversy. The issue is escalating as a major political flashpoint in the state, with broader implications for law enforcement, communal relations, and the next state elections. Both ruling and opposition parties are increasingly framing the evictions and related violence as key battlegrounds ahead of the 2026 state elections, with legal, communal, and political overtones dominating public discourse. Sarma also said Congress is preparing for 2026 state elections with a "single-point agenda" of attempting to put him behind bars and dismissed Rahul's remarks about jailing the chief minister, arguing that only the law and judiciary could decide such matters. "He is just an MP today. How can he arrest a chief minister?" Sarma said, adding that even Congress members do not give importance to what Gandhi says. "The big question is whether Rahul Gandhi will be in jail and when. ED has seized many property of Robert Vadra today (Thursday). There are many jails in India waiting for the Gandhis," Sarma said "There are two cases against Gandhi in Assam, I can bring him in. But my election cannot be Gandhi-centric, it will be on our work for the state. I am not allowing my mind to be diverted, else I would have retorted in ample measure to the threats given to me," he said.
