MARION, Ind. — An arrest warrant has been filed against a man from India after Grant County authorities recovered $36,000 that was reportedly stolen in a cryptocurrency scam.
Prateek Jain, 33, of Kolkata, West Bengal, India, was charged last week with felony fraud and money laundering. An arrest warrant has been issued and officials are now looking to arrest Jain. A photo of Jain, provided by police, can be seen below:
The investigation into Jain began earlier this year when a victim told the Marion Police Department that they’d been deceived into depositing $36,000 into a Bitcoin ATM, only to realize it was a scam. The case was then passed on to the Grant County Sheriff’s Office.
While investigating, Jain was identified as a suspect and it was confirmed that he had traveled to the United States on a temporary visa in 2024 before returning to India.
Grant County officials said that all funds were successfully recovered and the victim had their money returned.
“No matter where you are in the world, if you commit crimes against the citizens of Grant County, we will work tirelessly to ensure justice is served,” Sheriff Del Garcia said.
An active arrest warrant is now active for Jain, charging him with one count of fraud and one count of money laundering. The cash-only bond has been set at $500,000.
Garcia said in a statement Monday that Hoosiers should be cautious of these online scams.
“If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is,” he said. “Community members are encouraged to exercise caution with financial transactions involving unknown individuals.”
No other information was immediately provided.
