Story by Ethan
On August 25th, 2025, the arrest of Abhishek Barvalia, age 31, and Tushar Barvalia, age 32, was announced by Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez. Abhishek Barvalia and Tushar Barvalia were charged with second-degree Grand Larceny, first-degree Scheme to Defraud, and fourth-degree Conspiracy. The arrest and charges against Abhishek Barvalia and Tushar Barvalia were a result of an investigation handled by KCDA Detective Investigators, Supervising Financial Investigator Susan Ryan, Intelligence Analyst Veranika Basak, and Paralegal Jezebel Negrete-Ugaz.
According to the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office, on four separate occasions during 2023, it’s alleged that Abhishek Barvalia and Tushar Barvalia had gotten into contact with four different victims to con them with a security scam. Allegedly on June 30th, an 83-year old victim received an anonymous phone call from someone claiming to be a bank representative. The caller was able to get the victim to share how to access her account and some of her personal information. It’s alleged that the defendants were able to wire $15,000 out of the victim’s account, however while trying to transfer out another $21,000 but was denied by the bank. Allegedly on July 5th, a 78-year old victim received a pop up notification on her computer claiming that she needed to call “Microsoft” at the number provided due to her device having been infected by malware. When calling the number the victim was connected to someone pretending to be with the Federal Trade Commission, claiming that hackers were attempting to take her funds and then instructed her to transfer the money to him for safekeeping. It’s alleged that the victim ended up transferring approximately $70,000 to the defendants’ accounts. Allegedly on December 4th, a 90-year old victim received a pop up notification on her computer claiming that her laptop had an “Apple Security Risk”, and that hackers were trying to access her bank account to store money related to illicit child pornography profits. She began to speak to someone claiming to be a government agent trying to save her funds, directing her to sending him the jeopardized money. It’s alleged that the defendants had accumulated $136,224 from the victim during the scheme. Allegedly on December 11th, a 76-year old victim received a pop up notification on her computer urgently telling her to call the provided number. When she did, the individual that picked up claimed to be an FBI agent, instructing the victim to secure her savings by transferring the money into another account as her account was currently being used by hackers to launder money and sell guns and drugs. It’s alleged that the defendants were mailed three cashier’s checks totaling up to $171,680.
The Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office stated that the charges against Abhishek Barvalia and Tushar Barvalia are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
