Kansas Woman Scammed Out of $255,000 in Gold by FBI Impersonators

An 84-year-old Kansas woman thought she was saving her life savings. Instead, she was handing it over. Over several months, the Sedgwick County resident was tricked into buying more than $255,000 worth of gold after phone scammers convinced her they were FBI agents protecting her money, according to court documents. The callers told the elderly woman her Social Security number had been compromised and urged her to withdraw her funds and convert them into gold ‘for safety.’ Trusting the voice on the line, she followed detailed instructions, buying gold between June and August and handing it over during secretive meet-ups outside a church in Andale. She remained convinced she was helping federal agents until family members discovered in September that all her assets were gone. Police and real FBI agents then stepped in, setting up a trap to catch those involved. During the operation, two men namely Sai Praveen Kommana of Texas, and Krishna Bharanue Daggubati of Georgia were stopped while allegedly attempting to collect more gold. Investigators believe the stolen gold was funnelled into overseas accounts, with the ringleader thought to be operating outside the US. Both men face charges linked to attempted theft by deception, while federal prosecutors have also indicted Kommana in a wider wire fraud conspiracy. The FBI says the investigation is ongoing.