Related Federal Cases
- Ray Leonard Marple, Wire Fraud, Missouri 2024 · Alabama
- Ariel Burden, Wire Fraud, Missouri 2024 · Georgia
- Albert Davis, Wire Fraud, Kansas City, MO, 2023 · Missouri
- David E. Schultz, Wire Fraud, MO 2024 · Washington
- Carol J. Dotson, Wire Fraud, MO 2024 · Florida
Defendant Name, Crime, State Year
Raj Chauhan, 33, is the latest defendant to appear in U.S. District Court in St. Louis, where he pleaded not guilty to one count of wire fraud.
Chauhan, along with co-defendants Monarch Sachdev, 28, and Elon Harper, 27, were each indicted on Feb. 4, 2026, with one count of wire fraud. The indictment alleges that the trio was involved in a conspiracy that stole $8 million from elderly victims.
The scheme, which originated in India, involved co-conspirators contacting elderly victims via telephone calls and electronic messages. Victims were told to liquidate their savings and retirement funds, purchase gold bars and gold coins, and hand the gold over to "government" couriers.
According to the indictment, Chauhan, Sachdev, and Harper were the couriers. Sachdev also managed the pickups of other couriers, including his co-defendants. In one example, Sachdev instructed Chauhan to pick up gold from an elderly resident of Cedar Hill, Missouri, who had been told that she had erroneously been sent money via PayPal and would have to pay income taxes unless she bought $200,000 in gold.
The indictment says that Harper worked as a courier in locations including Dallas and Lindale, Texas; Orrick, Mo.; Mount Pleasant, S.C.; Bonita Springs, Fla.; and Norman, Okla. Sachdev managed pickups in Houston; Canon City, Colo.; Quincy, Ill. and St. Louis.
Detention motions say that Sachdev was personally responsible for retrieving fraud proceeds on at least 65 different occasions, resulting in losses of at least $5.4 million. He also facilitated the pickup of at least $4.2 million in fraud proceeds by others, the motion says. Harper was responsible for at least 20 pickups, it says.
Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and a fine. Restitution is mandatory.
Key Facts
- State: Missouri
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
US NewsUS NewsUS NewsUS News