Man Who Scammed NY Resident of $36,000 Captured in Broome County

In a collaborative effort, the Broome County Sheriff's Office and the Village of Liberty Police Department successfully apprehended an Indian national involved in an elaborate scam that resulted in the theft of $36,000 from a senior citizen.

The investigation was initiated by the Village of Liberty Police Department on May 1, 2024, after receiving a report from a 76-year-old Liberty resident. The victim had noticed what appeared to be a virus on her computer and subsequently received a phone call from an individual claiming to be an employee of an antivirus company.

The scammer manipulated the victim by instructing her to withdraw money from her bank account to prevent it from being hacked or stolen due to the alleged virus. Trusting the caller, the victim withdrew $36,000 in cash and handed it over to the scammer, who visited her residence under the guise of depositing the money into a safer bank account.

Thanks to investigative work, law enforcement identified the suspect as Himichal Sagar, a 43-year-old Indian national. Tracking his whereabouts led investigators to a hotel on Prospect Street in the Town of Dickinson. Recognizing the need for assistance, the Village of Liberty Police Department contacted the Broome County Sheriff's Office for support.

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Broome County Sheriff's deputies located and detained Sagar until officers from the Village of Liberty Police arrived to effectuate the arrest. As a result of the investigation, the full amount of stolen money, $36,000, was recovered from Sagar's hotel room.

Sagar was transported to the Village of Liberty Police Department, where he was charged with Grand Larceny in the 3rd Degree, a Class D Felony. Adhering to New York State law, Sagar was released with an appearance ticket, but not without being ordered to surrender his passport to the court.

Expressing his appreciation for the collective efforts of the investigating officers and detectives, Liberty Chief of Police Steven D’Agata stated, "It is because of the hard work and rapid investigation by the officers and detectives that worked on this case that we were able to hold this offender accountable and recover the victim’s money.”

Sheriff Fred Akshar of the Broome County Sheriff's Office expressed his pride in the diligence and quick response of the Law Enforcement Division. "This arrest serves as a reminder of how important it is for both law enforcement and the community to work together to combat these insidious scams that target seniors.”