CNBC AI News, July 25 – Counterfeit goods are commonplace, but fabricating an entire embassy to perpetrate fraud? That’s a rarefied level of chutzpah.
Indian authorities have apprehended Hasvardhan Jain for allegedly operating a fake embassy, according to reports. The charges extend beyond mere impersonation, encompassing accusations of defrauding individuals with deceptive overseas job offers and suspected involvement in money laundering.
Jain allegedly leased a lavish two-story villa near New Delhi in Ghaziabad, complete with hoisted flags of both India and the micronation of Westarctica, and fabricated official-looking documentation.
Inside the purported embassy, Indian police reportedly discovered nearly 4.5 million rupees (approximately $55,000 USD) in cash, four vehicles bearing diplomatic license plates, 18 additional diplomatic plates, 12 purportedly national diplomatic passports, and a collection of doctored photographs depicting Jain alongside world leaders.
The suspect allegedly claimed to be a Baron of Westarctica, a self-declared Antarctic micronation, and served as its purported ambassador to India.
Westarctica, it should be noted, is a micronation founded by U.S. Navy officer Travis McHenry and remains unrecognized by any sovereign state. Think of it as the corporate equivalent of a startup with a valuation based more on aspiration than assets; only, in this case, the assets are ice and the valuation is, well, fictional. It’s a reminder that in the sometimes-bizarre world of international relations, not everything is as it seems.
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