Indian money mule arrested in Canada

Jay Sunilbharthi Goswami, a 21-year-old Indian national from Gujarat who lived in Jersey City, New Jersey, was arrested in Canada on August 20, 2026, following a U.S. request for provisional arrest pending extradition. He is charged with wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy to commit money laundering, each carrying a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Goswami allegedly acted as a 'money mule' in a scheme that defrauded nine elderly victims in New York and New Jersey of approximately $7.5 million. The fraud, investigated by the IRS Criminal Investigation Division since January 2026, involved convincing victims to liquidate assets into cash, gold, or gift cards. Goswami allegedly collected cash and gold from victims on at least nine occasions and deposited over $90,000 into a Bank of America account. He was initially released under conditions on August 17 but crossed into Canada the next day, attempting to flee to Qatar. He was detained at Toronto Pearson International Airport and formally arrested on August 20. The U.S. Department of Justice is seeking his extradition.