Alleged Gold Coast fraudster, Ankit Jayesh Mashru, faces fresh charges
Police have laid an additional charge against alleged Gold Coast fraudster, accused of scamming the city’s Indian community out of huge sums. FULL STORY.
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A Gold Coast man accused of scamming members of the city’s Indian community out of huge sums of cash has been slapped with a fresh charge.
Ankit Jayesh Mashru now faces a second charge of fraud worth $100,000 or more, with police alleging he pocketed millions of dollars through his scheme.
It is now alleged he swindled several people out of a combined $2.4m between November 4, 2021 and October 10, 2024.
The earlier charge alleges Mr Mashru defrauded one man of more than $650,000.
The 34-year-old was arrested in October after surrendering himself at the Coomera police station.
One of the complainants who is an alleged victim of the new charge, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said he first met Mr Mashru in 2021 when the alleged fraudster went to his restaurant as a customer.
He claimed Mr Mashru first got in touch wanting to discuss business opportunities, but soon started playing cricket weekly with his group of friends from university.
“(Mr Mashru) met everyone and eventually we became friends,” the man said, alleging: “He started borrowing $5000 (or) $10,000, which he kept paying back to me on time, so he was building that trust.”
The man - who watched Mr Mashru’s latest court appearance from the gallery - claimed the alleged fraudster then started asking for larger sums of money, telling them he needed it for his construction business that supplied bathroom accessories and dealt with big-name builders.
He alleged Mr Mashru now owes him a six-figure sum.
He alleged his loaning Mr Mashru money was “all about friendship and helping him”.
“We have lost a lot of money, what we expect is justice.”
Mr Mashru has spent the past several weeks behind bars on remand, after a bail application on the first fraud charge was refused on October 12.
Reasons for the refusal were listed as Mr Mashru posing an unacceptable risk of failing to appear and surrendering into custody as required, with it noted the allegations against him were serious.
Appearing via videolink in Southport Magistrates Court on Monday on the new charge, Mr Mashru said he had faced hardship and mental stress while in jail.
He referenced the previous bail refusal and said that his situation was now “completely different”, claiming his wife planned to return to Australia from India.
Magistrate Dominic Brunello urged Mr Mashru to get legal advice before his next court date and any future bail application.
“This is a very serious (indictable) offence,” Mr Brunello said.
“You need legal representation - make efforts to get the best lawyer you can.”
Mr Mashru remains in custody and both matters are listed for mention on December 19.
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