LEHIGH COUNTY, Pa. —
A New Jersey man has been sentenced to state prison for his role in an elaborate scam that cost a 74-year-old Pennsylvania man more than half a million dollars in gold and tens of thousands in cash.
On Friday, Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas Judge Thomas M. Caffrey sentenced Hirtik Hemchand Khatri, 25, of Lawrence Township, Mercer County, to 11 months and 29 days to 36 months in prison for two felony theft convictions. Khatri was also sentenced to two years of probation for felony criminal use of a communication facility.
In addition, Khatri was ordered to pay $688,372 in restitution to the victim.
Khatri pleaded guilty on Nov. 20. As part of a plea agreement, prosecutors withdrew two additional felony theft charges and a felony charge of receiving stolen property.
Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin Holihan announced the sentencing Friday. Khatri’s attorney, Zak Taylor Goldstein, said his client expressed remorse, claiming he played a limited role in the scheme.
According to Goldstein, Khatri responded to an online job advertisement to work as a courier and received minimal payment for making pickups and deliveries. While acknowledging that Khatri should have recognized warning signs, the attorney said his client accepted responsibility and hopes law enforcement can recover the stolen assets.
The investigation began Feb. 3, 2025, when the elderly victim contacted Whitehall Township police. Authorities say the scam started with an email claiming there was a fraudulent PayPal charge on the victim’s account.
Prosecutors said scammers repeatedly contacted the victim, falsely claiming financial errors and pressuring him to make repayments using Bitcoin, gold, or cash. Officials said the victim was threatened with jail if he failed to comply.
As a result, the victim withdrew funds from his IRA and purchased more than 200 gold bars, valued at nearly $600,000, which Khatri later collected from the victim’s home.
Police identified Khatri using license plate reader technology that tracked the Mercedes-Benz he drove during the pickup. The victim later identified Khatri in a photo lineup.
The Lehigh County Elder Abuse Task Force said it continues to see a rise in scams targeting older adults, who may be more vulnerable due to larger savings and limited familiarity with digital payment platforms such as PayPal and Bitcoin.
Authorities are urging the public to remain cautious.
“Anyone requesting large sums of money — especially through cryptocurrency, precious metals, gift cards, or cash — is almost certainly part of a scam,” police warned.
The case was investigated by Whitehall Township Police, the Lehigh County Elder Abuse Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations, and Lawrence Township Police. Prosecution was handled by Lehigh County Chief Deputy District Attorney Ramma R. Mineo.
