MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. — A man involved in a gold bar scam that stole a 94-year-old man’s life savings in Montgomery County has been sentenced to prison.
Ravinklejeet Mathon, 26, received a 10-year sentence from Montgomery County Circuit Court Judge Margaret Schweitzer. He pleaded guilty in October to charges of attempted theft and conspiracy to commit theft. Mathon will serve five years behind bars, with the remainder of his sentence suspended, followed by five years of probation.
The scam targeted the elderly victim, who was deceived into exchanging his life savings of $229,848 for three 1-kilo gold bars. Mathon, posing as a federal agent, instructed the man to hand over the gold. Police intervened and arrested Mathon when he attempted to collect the bars from the victim’s home.
“This case reflects the complexity and magnitude of organized international crime,” said State’s Attorney John McCarthy. “The victim’s advanced age made him especially vulnerable.”
Authorities have linked this scam to a broader pattern of gold bar fraud associated with organized crime rings. Montgomery County officials report multiple victims of similar schemes this year, with thieves stealing more than $6.3 million from residents through gold bar scams.
In one November case, scammers convinced a mother and daughter to hand over $2.3 million in gold bars by claiming their bank accounts were compromised. In another incident, a Bethesda couple fell victim to a scheme alleging their accounts were tied to criminal activities involving child pornography and Russian missiles.
Prosecutors are urging seniors to remain vigilant. McCarthy advises using caller ID, avoiding unknown numbers, and consulting trusted advisors before making significant financial decisions. “The government does not contact you by text or phone call,” he emphasized. “Never respond to urgent requests for immediate action.”
