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From High Society to High Stakes! Indo-American couple accused of $4M real estate fraud in Texas
Sidhartha Mukherjee and Sunita Mukherjee are behind bars, accused of masterminding a multi-million-dollar real estate scam that duped over 100 unsuspecting investors.
Mukherjees reportedly shared fake remodeling contracts and invoices from the Dallas Housing Authority — all of which turned out to be forged. (Photo: X)
Sidhartha "Sammy" Mukherjee and Sunita Mukherjee were once the toast of North Texas' Indian-American community, known for hosting glittering cultural soirées, Bollywood-style performances and mingling with elite social circles. Today, they’re behind bars, accused of masterminding a multi-million-dollar real estate scam that duped over 100 unsuspecting investors.
Federal and local authorities allege that the Mukherjees operated a sophisticated investment fraud scheme, fabricating housing contracts and forging documents to convince investors to pour money into real estate projects that never existed. According to the FBI, more than $4 million (Rs 33 crore) was siphoned through the scam.
Beneath the couple’s glamorous public persona, complete with designer clothes and dance performances, investigators say they were quietly running one of the region’s largest real estate fraud operations in recent memory.
Detective Brian Brennan of Euless Police, who led the initial investigation after a couple claimed to have lost $325,000, said that in 23 years of policing, Sammy Mukherjee is probably the most prolific fraudster he has seen.
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Victims were promised high returns through investments in housing projects. To build trust, the Mukherjees reportedly shared fake remodeling contracts and invoices from the Dallas Housing Authority, all of which turned out to be forged. Investors only realised the deception when their dividend cheques bounced and projects never materialised.
Initially dismissed as civil disputes, complaints snowballed into a criminal probe involving both local police and the FBI. The couple were arrested in June 2025 and now face charges of first-degree felony theft, which could carry a prison sentence of up to 99 years if convicted.
The Mukherjees filed for bankruptcy in 2023, but that didn’t raise red flags among followers, many of whom continued to view them as high-profile cultural icons. Behind the scenes, however, authorities say the couple was also under investigation for misusing pandemic relief funds and orchestrating financial deceptions masked by community goodwill.
Now detained at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility, the Mukherjees deny all wrongdoing. Through legal counsel, they’ve claimed they are being framed in a coordinated defamation effort by former associates.
SPOTLIGHT
The Storyboard18 Digital Entertainment Summit (DES) unpacked India's strategy for leading the digital entertainment economy, with top policymakers where they putlined how talent, technology, and governance would fuel future-ready growth.
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At the Storyboard18 Digital Entertainment Summit in New Delhi, policymakers and industry leaders outlined how talent, technology, and governance will drive India’s push to dominate the global entertainment economy.