Sacramento Scare: FBI Issues Warning of Extortion Scheme Targeting Those With Family or Business Ties to India

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Sacramento Field Office has issued a warning to the Indian community of an extortion scheme affecting individuals with familial or business ties to India. The field office is tracking several instances throughout its 34-county area of responsibility in which people were targeted for extortion and threatened with violence,” the FBI said in a May 7 press release. Noting that “these criminal acts are believed to be underreported, the FBI and its law enforcement partners are using “the public to report these crimes to ensure the individuals committing these alleged crimes face justice.” 

“We are deeply concerned for the safety and economic security of our neighbors of Indian descent who have been targeted,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Mark Remily, who leads the FBI Sacramento Field Office. “Criminals are targeting hard-working, law-abiding business owners and are using thug tactics to extort them in clear violation of the law. Timely reporting of attempted extortion to the authorities will help law enforcement to identify and disrupt this criminal scheme, ensuring the safety and economic security of the community.”

In recent extortion attempts, subjects demanded a large sum of money and threatened physical violence or death if the demand was not met. Individuals who disregarded the demands subsequently became victims of violence, to include targeted shootings at their residences and vehicles. 

Sid Patel, the special agent in charge of the Sacramento FBI office, told ABC10 that “while many may be familiar with more common scams — calls, texts or emails by someone usually out of the country pretending to be someone or something else to get victims to send money — this is entirely different as it is “not fraud, this is true extortion.”

He noted “an uptick in crimes against people of Indian descent in the last six months to a year, globally, and and believes Sacramento is seeing targeted cases in part due to having one of the largest Sikh communities in the world. “If you see something, say something. We will do something. We’re here to protect you and our communities,” said Patel. “Extortion is illegal in this country, so if someone is extorting you, demanding money from you and then threatening you with violence? That is extortion, please report it to us.”

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Anyone who believes they are in immediate danger should call 911. Threats of violence intended to extort victims for a specified sum can be reported to the FBI by calling the local field office, submitting a tip online at tips.fbi.gov, or calling 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324). The FBI can connect callers with language services to ensure clear communication for callers. 

(Top photo, Special Agent in charge of the Sacramento FBI office Sid Patel. Photo/FBI)