A California man was sentenced after stealing $30,000 from a local couple and nearly scamming them out of $70,000 in gold.

In March 2024, an 85-year-old man and 83-year-old woman contacted law enforcement after falling victim to a scam. The couple was tricked by a popup on their computer, which prompted them to call “Microsoft Support Services” to resolve a fake technical issue. The suspect traveled to the victims’ home and collected $30,000 from them. Several days later, the scammer reached out asking for an additional $70,000 to solve their fictitious “bank account problem.” After the couple’s withdrawal request was denied by several banks who suspected fraud, the scammer instructed them to obtain $70,000 in gold bars and said he would come to their home to collect it. Suspicious of this request, the couple contacted the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office.

In April 2024, Investigators waited with the victims and apprehended the suspect when he returned for the gold. The suspect was identified as Arashdeep Dhaliwal (DOB 01/20/1996) of California.

Dhaliwal was initially arrested for 1 count of Theft (F5) and 2 counts of Theft - At Risk (F3) and given a $50,000 cash/surety bond by the Larimer County Courts. LCSO investigators learned in October 2024 that the District Attorney and the Defense Council reached a plea agreement in late summer 2024; Dhaliwal pled guilty to one count of Theft - At Risk (F4) and the 2 additional charges were dismissed. He was sentenced to 30 days jail time (to be served at work release), 3 years supervised probation (transferred to Washington), and ordered to pay the victims a restitution of $30,000.

“It can often be difficult for fraud victims to come forward, feeling guilty or ashamed that they fell for a scam. That’s exactly what scammers want. They isolate their victims and make them feel helpless. They scare people into giving the scammers money, and use psychological manipulation to discourage them from reporting the crime,” said LCSO Investigations Sgt. Rita Servin. “It’s extremely challenging to identify suspects in scam cases as they’re often operating from other states or internationally. I’m grateful to the banks who initially raised concerns about this being fraud and the investigators who intervened and arrested this man before he could take further advantage of innocent people. I also commend the victims for coming forward and reporting this situation.”

Investigators learned that the suspect may have perpetrated similar incidents in other areas. Anyone with information about other scams involving this suspect should contact the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office or the local jurisdiction where the crime occurred.

Scams are extremely common and affect Larimer County residents of all ages. Using fear and other aggressive tactics, scammers attempt to coerce their victims into sending money, gift cards, cryptocurrency, or precious metals like gold. Scammers demand compensation to fix fabricated problems, like fake computer issues, imposter grandchildren in jail, or false warrants that do not actually exist. Legitimate law enforcement or government agencies will never demand payment to resolve these issues. For more information about common scams, visit www.larimer.gov/frauds-scams.