Per the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office, “In the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, MD, before the Honorable Margaret Schweitzer, defendant, Ravinklejeet Mathon of Rockville, MD, pleaded guilty to charges of attempted theft over $100,000 and conspiracy to commit theft over $100,000.
Mathon faces a maximum of 40 years in prison. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 11, 2024.
This defendant was part of a scheme to steal three 1-kilo gold bars valued at a total of approximately $229, 848 from an elderly man in Silver Spring. The victim was targeted in a phone scam and converted his savings into gold bars, believing he was about to hand it over to “federal agents” for safe-keeping.
The scam is believed to be part of an international organized crime ring. Similar Gold Bar Scams have been reported here in Montgomery County and across the United States. On August 12, 2024, State’s Attorney John McCarthy hosted a joint news conference with Montgomery County Police, the FBI Baltimore Field Office, and Homeland Security Investigations to inform the public about these scams.
Assistant State’s Attorneys Hannah Gleason and Robert Hill are prosecuting this case.
“This is organized crime on an international level, and vulnerable victims in our community are being targeted. We understand the devasting nature of this form of fraud and the State will seek a sentence that reflects the seriousness of the offense,” said State’s Attorney John McCarthy.”