Couple Defraud Over 100 Victims, Stealing More Than $4 Million

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India-West News Desk

PLANO, TX — A Plano couple prominent in North Texas’s Bollywood cultural scene now faces serious legal charges related to a large-scale fraud scheme, according to CBS News. Sidhartha “Sammy” Mukherjee and his wife, Sunita Mukherjee, have been charged with first-degree felony theft for allegedly defrauding more than 100 people out of over $4 million.

The Mukherjees face serious charges, with first-degree felony theft punishable by five to 99 years in prison. After posting $500,000 bond each, Sammy Mukherjee was taken into ICE custody at his home and is now held in a detention center south of Fort Worth.

The couple reportedly came to the US seeking asylum, though their current immigration status has not been made public. Court documents indicate that Sammy Mukherjee has active fraud warrants in Mumbai.

The Mukherjees filed for bankruptcy last year, and authorities are examining whether any funds were moved offshore or converted into cryptocurrency.

While some police departments initially viewed the complaints as civil matters, an experienced white-collar crime detective in Euless took over the case after a couple reported losing $325,000. As the investigation progressed, it became clear the scheme was far larger than initially thought.

Victims said the Mukherjees used fabricated remodeling contracts and invoices claiming to be from the Dallas Housing Authority to convince people to invest. However, the Dallas Housing Authority confirmed no such projects existed. Investigators found that the paperwork, receipts, and emails involved in the scheme were all forged, with the forgeries extensive enough to suggest full-time effort.

As the investigation expanded, the FBI became involved, with federal forensic accountants confirming losses exceeding $4 million and identifying at least 20 confirmed victims, with the possibility of more than 100 affected, CBS reported.

The fraud extended beyond real estate, involving a fake company created to secure a federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan with fabricated employees.

Authorities also questioned Mukherjee about money obtained from elderly victims who reportedly sent funds after receiving threatening emails warning of arrest. Mukherjee claimed these funds came from a deceased business partner’s hotel project.

Despite the investigations, the Mukherjees remained publicly active. In May, they headlined a charity gala in Richardson for a nonprofit based at their Plano home, which was also the location of their arrest weeks later, CBS said pointing out the event attracted notable guests, including a Bollywood legend and the mayor of Plano.

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