Police Hunt For Fake Jewelry Sellers To US Women, Price Of IDR 59 Thousand Sold For IDR 11 Billion

Illustration. (Unsplash/Sabrianna)

JAKARTA - The police are hunting for counterfeit jewelry sellers to American women, after being suspected of committing fraud by selling counterfeit jewelry for Rp. 59 thousand at a price of Rp. 11 billion.

A father and son selling jewelry in Rajasthan State, India are being hunted by the police, after allegedly cheating and selling jewelry which was originally only for 300 rupees (Rp59,197) to 60 million rupees (Rp11,839,466,730).

Cherish Nortez bought what he believes to be a 14-carat gold chain and a ceramic with diamonds from a retailer at Johri Bazaar's historic jewelry market, in the capital city of Jaipur state in 2022.

The police said to convince Nortez, the seller gave him a certificate of authenticity. Later, it was proven that it was fake when Nortez showed off the jewelry at an event in the United States in April.

The purity test shows the jewelry is fake. The chain is not gold, but nine carat silver which is coated with a layer of gold. Meanwhile, the necklace is not tauted by diamonds but a cheap moissanite stone.

Nortez returned to Jaipur in May and faced jewelry seller Rajendra Soni and his son, Gaurav. However, he said he received a counter-charge.

"They threatened to take my passport and file a counter charge," said Nortez, launching The National News June 11

He also visited the US Embassy, which led to a police investigation.

Police found that Soni's family bought a house worth 30 million rupees. Officers raided the house but the father and son had fled and were still at large.

Meanwhile, a man named Nand Kishore has been arrested on suspicion of issuing a fake authenticity certificate to Nortez.

"The investigation has revealed that the suspect sold silver jewelry with a gold semir worth 300 rupees, to the foreigner for 60 million. To check the purity of gold and diamonds, a distinctive certificate is verified," said Bajrang Singh Shekhawat, acting deputy commissioner of the Jaipur Police.

"These certificates were revealed not to be genuine. Nand Kishore, the person who published them, was arrested. A search is being carried out on the father and son who fled," he added.