In a sting operation dubbed “Operation I Love Gold,” Douglas County detectives arrested two men accused of scamming a 76-year-old woman by convincing her to purchase gold bars. The arrests took place on May 23 in a parking lot near I-25 and Castle Pines Parkway when the suspects arrived to collect what they believed to be the gold bars.
The case came to light when the elderly victim reported that on March 12, she received a pop-up message on her iPad that disabled her device and instructed her to call a phone number. Upon calling, she was told by a man posing as a “bank fraud agent” that her identity had been compromised. The scammer, who identified himself as “agent Richard Parker,” claimed fraudulent checks had been written in her name for pornographic websites.
The victim was instructed to withdraw funds from her bank accounts and purchase gold bars, which the scammer said would be placed in her safe deposit box. The man also told the victim there was a gag order on the case, forbidding her from discussing the matter with anyone, including her husband.
Throughout the investigation, detectives worked closely with the victim to gather evidence and build a case. On the day the suspects, Anil Kumar Dhiman (34) and Punit Punit (30), arrived to collect the gold bars, they were apprehended by detectives from the Financial Crimes Unit and the IMPACT team.
Both suspects face charges of theft and crimes against at-risk persons, with their bonds set at $10,000 each.
“No one gets to come to Douglas County, prey on our elderly residents, steal their life savings, and get away with it,” said Douglas County Sheriff Darren Weekly. “The lead detective in this case is sharp and laser-focused on protecting our most vulnerable residents.”
