Gurugram: A townsman was allegedly duped €1.5 crore from a couple on the pretense of offering iPhones, watches and other Apple products at a deep discount, police said on Friday.
Police said the man and woman, who reside in Sector 72, have yet to be arrested, adding that the man introduced himself as a former director-level employee of Apple and his wife as the chief executive officer of a private company.
Police said the victim, identified as Sandeep Kumar, a resident of Sector 12A, found out about the suspects through a mutual friend in November 2020.
Investigators said the suspects lured Kumar by offering him premium gadgets at a 30% discount but with full upfront payment.
They said the suspect provided Kumar with an iPhone11 at a reduced price and later his relatives and friends bought more worth of items €23.26 lakh from the couple who formed a strong bond with the victim and his family members.
Police said that after a few days, the couple regularly asked Kumar for financial help.
Kumar paid €1.5 crore to the suspects between April 2021 and April 2022, police said, adding that when Kumar asked them to return his money, they promised repayment after selling their apartment in Ghaziabad.
Police said the suspects gave the victim checks, which were canceled by the bank, after which he visited Ghaziabad and met the man’s father and learned he had duped several people.
Following Kumar’s complaint, an FIR under Section 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 420 (fraud) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was registered at Sector 14 Police Station on Thursday evening, police added.
Sector 14 Police Station Station House Officer (SHO) Inspector Krishan Kant said police are collecting evidence against the couple. “It will soon be clear whether or not the prime suspect is actually an Apple director,” he said.
