In a major fraud case in Bengaluru, a couple, Jason D'Souza and Lavina, have been arrested for allegedly cheating hundreds of job seekers by promising government positions in the court system. Reports say the duo collected huge sums from victims, with the total scam amount estimated at around Rs 25 crore. According to various reports, the couple targeted unemployed individuals and employees from private companies, asking each victim between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 25 lakh. To make their claims appear real, they reportedly forged signatures of judges and issued fake appointment letters.
Many victims grew suspicious when updates about their jobs were delayed. Eventually, calls and messages went unanswered, and the scam came to light. Several of those affected approached the Central Crime Branch (CCB) and filed complaints at local police stations in Bengaluru.
Police also discovered that the couple had been arrested in 2024 for a similar scam. After their release, they allegedly restarted the fraudulent operations.
Network of agents helped the scam
Investigators reportedly said the accused used a network of agents to reach more victims. These agents were reportedly tasked with identifying potential applicants, convincing them to pay the required fees, keeping a small commission, and passing the remaining money to the couple.
In some cases, victims were called to private hotels for “document verification,” where they were shown fake offer letters to make the scam appear legitimate.
Probe on
The CCB is questioning the couple to uncover the full scope of the fraud. Authorities are trying to trace additional victims and identify everyone involved in the network. Officials have warned job seekers to always verify recruitment offers through official government channels and report suspicious activities immediately.
