US woman duped of Rs6 crore by Indian jewellers with fake jewellery

In a shocking incident, shopkeepers in India allegedly scammed an American woman into purchasing cheap gold-plated jewelry for Rs60 million (£563,000; $718,000).

The woman, identified as Cherish in a police complaint, bought the jewelry from a shop in Johri Bazar in the western Indian state of Rajasthan nearly two years ago.

At the time of purchase, she was provided with a hallmark certificate attesting to the jewelry's purity.

However, upon returning to the US and showcasing the jewelry at an exhibition, Cherish discovered it was counterfeit, valued at no more than Rs300 (£2.82; $4). This revelation prompted her to return to India to confront the shopkeeper, Gaurav Soni, who denied the allegations.

Cherish reported the incident to the US embassy, which assisted her in filing a police complaint against the jeweler and his father, Rajendra Soni, according to India Today.