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high-profile Indian-American couple, Sidhartha 'Sammy' Mukherjee and his wife Sunita, have been arrested in North Texas for allegedly defrauding over 100 people of $4 million through a fake real estate investment scheme. The FBI claims the couple convinced investors to put money into non-existent projects, using forged documents and misusing pandemic relief funds.

    The Mukherjees were once prominent figures in the Indian-American community in Plano, Texas, known for their glamorous lifestyle, Bollywood-style performances, and high-society cultural events. However, behind this facade, they allegedly ran a web of fake investment schemes, defrauding customers and promising unfulfilled high returns.

    The scam operated by luring victims into real estate deals with promises of high returns, only to have dividend cheques bounce. The investigation began two years ago after several victims complained of investment fraud, but the complaints were initially dismissed as civil disputes. Euless Police Detective Brian Brennan started the probe after a couple claimed to have lost $325,000 in the scheme.

    The Mukherjees provided investors with forged documents, including remodeling contracts and invoices from the Dallas Housing Authority, which turned out to be fake. If convicted, they could face up to 99 years in jail. The couple has denied any wrongdoing, claiming to be victims of a coordinated effort to defame them.