NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
May 8, 2024: The FBI Sacramento Field Office has warned the community of an extortion scheme targeting individuals with familial or business connections to India. Several instances of these threats have been reported across the 34-county area under the office’s jurisdiction.
The field office is tracking several instances throughout its 34-county area of responsibility in which people were targeted for extortion and threatened with violence. These criminal acts are believed to be underreported. The FBI and its law enforcement partners urge the public to report these crimes to ensure the individuals committing these alleged crimes face justice.
“Extortion attempts have involved demands for large sums of money, accompanied by threats of physical harm or death” the FBI statement said. Those who refused to comply with the demands have subsequently faced violence, including targeted shootings at their residences and vehicles.
Acting Special Agent in Charge Mark Remily expressed deep concern for the targeted individuals, emphasizing that law-abiding business owners are being threatened with violence in clear violation of the law. The FBI urges prompt reporting of such incidents to aid in identifying and disrupting criminal activity.
Sid Patel, the special agent in charge of the Sacramento FBI office told ABC 10 that there’s been an uptick in crimes against people of Indian descent in the last six months to a year, globally, and believes Sacramento is seeing targeted cases in part due to having one of the largest Sikh communities in the world.
Individuals who believe they are in immediate danger are advised to call 911. Reports of extortion threats can be made to the FBI by contacting the local field office, submitting a tip online at tips.fbi.gov, or calling 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324). Language services are available to ensure clear communication for all callers.
Cover photo: Wikimedia.
