Florida Woman Loses $691,500 in Gold to Treasury Impersonator

A woman in Florida fell victim to a scam where a caller impersonating a U.S. Treasury official convinced her to wire $150,000 and purchase 150 one-ounce gold coins for $691,500. The victim was told her identity had been compromised and she needed to assist in catching those responsible. Believing the deception, she later handed over the gold coins at a Citrus County Publix supermarket to an individual she understood to be an agent protecting her money. Federal prosecutors have indicted Manojkumar N. Desai, 44, of Ocala, on a conspiracy to commit wire fraud charge related to this incident. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida announced the indictment on October 21, 2026. This follows a state grand-theft case pursued by Citrus County authorities, which was dropped on October 7, 2026, before the federal indictment. Evidence, including photos and videos from a Texas detective, helped investigators link Desai to the scheme, though the victim was not completely certain of his identification. Prosecutors are now seeking over $370,000 in forfeiture, and Desai faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted.