A 72-year-old couple in Naples was tricked into handing over over $2 million worth of gold to fraudsters.
The scam, which involved threats and manipulation, has left the couple devastated, as the gold is nearly impossible to trace, making it unlikely that they will ever recover their stolen assets.
According to Lt. Bryan McGinn of the Naples Police Department, the scam began when the elderly couple received a threat from the scammers, who claimed that they had a warrant for their arrest and would be taken into custody unless they purchased gold and handed it over. The scammers instructed the couple to buy gold in the form of coins or small bars.
"They took money from their accounts and purchased gold," McGinn said. "Once they had the gold, the fraudsters sent a courier to pick it up, telling the victims that the gold would be safely stored and eventually returned to them."
For months, the couple believed the gold was being held for safe storage. However, it wasn't until much later that they realized they had been scammed and contacted the Naples Police Department for help.
On Friday, police were able to make an arrest in connection with the crime.
Authorities intercepted Soyeb Rana, who had arrived to pick up the gold from the couple.
After a brief chase, Rana abandoned his vehicle and was arrested. He now faces charges including conspiracy, scheme to defraud, fleeing and eluding, and possession of marijuana.
"This is a sad situation," McGinn said. "Law enforcement is never going to request money. There's never going to be an exchange of assets for your freedom or anything like that in this country. Just take a second, take a breath, contact local law enforcement. And we don't mind figuring out together whether something is legitimate or not."