Scam artist jailed for swindling nearly $40M from victims

A shrouded Gopaul Tiwari makes his way to the holding cells of the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. The man was sentenced to prison for defrauding nearly $40M from nine persons

A seasoned scam artist, charged with defrauding nine persons of nearly $40 million in just over a year, yesterday decided to turn over a new leaf when he pleaded guilty to nine counts of fraud, earning himself a total of 19 years.

However, Gopaul Tiwari, 46, of 73 Second Street, Craig Village, East Bank Demerara, will serve only three years as his sentences are set to run concurrently

 A shrouded Gopaul Tiwari makes his way to the holding cells of the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. The man was sentenced to prison for defrauding nearly $40M from nine persons
A shrouded Gopaul Tiwari makes his way to the holding cells of the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. The man was sentenced to prison for defrauding nearly $40M from nine persons

The reading of the charges took nearly 15 minutes. Tiwari initially faced eight charges but later in the afternoon, he was slapped with another. Out of the $39,640,000 he was charged with obtaining, he admitted to only $3,365,000 of it.

The first charge alleged that Tiwari, on May 31 defrauded Christopher Daniels of $200,000 by falsely pretending that he was in a position to sell a Toyota Land Cruiser LX 2010, despite knowing that to be false.

After pleading guilty to his first charge, the man stated that he did not intend to waste the court’s time. He additionally said that he only obtained $170,000 instead of $200,000.

According to his second charge, he defrauded Rovell Chilcott of $4.6M sometime between April 25 and May 15, by pretending that he was in a position to sell an excavator. The actual figure received, he said, was only $725,000.

His charges go on to state, between February 1 and February 20, with intent to defraud, he obtained $7M from Ryan Adolphus. The money