One for the album: Delhi Police nab 'celebrity producer' for scamming victims in lavish hotel meetings

NEW DELHI: Masquerading as a high-profile music album producer, KK Sharma exploited this glamorous façade to lure victims into his trap and swindle them of crores of rupees. The 30-year-old Sharma's scheme relied on creating a false sense of urgency and exclusivity. Victims were drawn in by the promise of easy profits and the allure of rubbing shoulders with celebrities and singers. But Sharma's misleading tune ended abruptly when Delhi Police tracked him to Mumbai and took him in on Sept 28.
Sharma's modus operandi was to frequent luxury suites in five-star hotels, flaunting his alleged connections with Bollywood stars. To potential investors, he spun tales about urgent foreign currency needs in exchange for Indian rupees for his celebrity acquaintances. Once the victims were hooked, he would invite them to private meetings in his suite — not just any suite, but one with two exits, a deliberate choice that ensured his swift escape.

Sharma's scheme relied on creating a false sense of urgency and exclusivity and as soon as he received the money in foreign currency, he would use the second exit to vanish into thin air, almost. The victims waited for a while to get their money back in exchange in Indian rupees and a tête-à-tête with their favourite celebrity, but they had to eventually leave with a heavy heart after realising they had been conned.
Sharma, an MBA graduate, came into Delhi Police's radar this summer. On May 1, the police control room alerted the cops to a theft of $25,000 from a hotel room. The victim, a foreign money exchange employee, had been sent to deliver the cash to a man claiming to be the personal assistant of a famous singer. This conman, who claimed to be Raghav Sharma, had told a convincing narrative about a mutual connection to gain trust. Sharma counted the dollars and told the complainant to wait, claiming the singer was taking a shower and he would quickly fetch the equivalent in Indian notes. Instead, he slipped away, never to be seen in the hotel. Realising he had been conned, the complainant rushed to notify his employer.
A case was filed at the Connaught Place police station, and a team led by ACP Anil Samota and SHO Sanjeev Kumar was formed to crack the mystery. Sub-inspectors Karan and Navneet and head constables Vijay and Rakesh were tasked with reviewing CCTV footage and analysing call detail records to pinpoint the location of several mobile numbers linked to the suspect in Mumbai. Finally, Sharma was tracked down and arrested on Sept 28.
More victims of Sharma's alleged scam emerged soon. In Mumbai, a complainant was cheated of $35,000 by the conman posing as an organiser for a concert. This scam too took place at a luxury hotel, where the complainant was instructed to deliver some cash urgently for a celebrity's US tour. After confirming the money in a hotel suite, the conman disappeared as usual. In another instance, a money exchange trader fell victim to the fraudster who claimed to be a film producer. The trader lost $25,000 after he was given the impression that he was funding a foreign film project.
A woman was also defrauded of Rs 82.7 lakh when she sought to arrange a meeting with a well-known actor for a film project. Sharma allegedly charged her an exorbitant fee for the meeting and script reading and promptly disappeared after collecting the payment, leaving her with neither a film role nor a healthy bank balance.