Authorities announced on October 25, 2024 that 30-year-old Punit Punit and 35-year-old Anil Dhiman were sentenced to six years in prison for stealing more than $200,000 from a woman in Castle Pines.

In March, the elderly woman received a pop-up alert on her iPad which urged her to call a telephone number. When the victim called the number, she was told her identity and financial bank accounts had been compromised. She was also told that someone was writing fraudulent checks for pornography websites.

The caller was told to open a new bank account and transfer money into it to safeguard her accounts. The victim transferred more than $200,000 into the new account. The caller, who identified himself as an agent, told the victim to use the money to buy gold bars from a local Gold and Silver store in Littleton.

Authorities say the victim bought approximately $203,000 in gold bars. The victim gave the bars to an “undercover agent” in the parking lot of a business in Castle Pines. After the encounter, the victim still received more calls and messages asking for more gold bars.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office issued a “fraud alert” in May after receiving reports from residents who were being asked to buy gold bars and deliver them to suspects in a parking lot. DCSO worked with the elderly victim to set up a sting operation.

At that time, Punit and Dhiman were taken into custody. A video of their arrests can be found here. Punit pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Commit theft/At-Risk, Conspiracy to Commit Theft $100,000 – $1M, and Attempted theft $100,000 – $1M.

Dhiman pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Theft/At-Risk, Conspiracy to Commit Theft $100,000 – $1M, Attempted Theft/At-Risk, and Attempted Theft $100,000 – $1M. The men were sentenced to six years and they’ve also been ordered to pay restitution.