U.S. authorities secure extradition of accused 'Hollywood Swindler' from the U.K.
Hollywood Con Queen Faces U.S. Trial After Extradition Approval
Hargobind Tahilramani, an Indonesian national known as the "Hollywood Con Queen," is set to face trial in the United States following the approval of his extradition. Tahilramani is accused of impersonating top female movie industry executives and defrauding over 300 victims, including actors, screenwriters, and photographers, out of approximately $1 million over seven years.
The extradition was approved by a judge and then British ministers in 2023. Tahilramani was arrested in a hotel in Manchester, England, in November 2020. His legal efforts to block extradition on health grounds were denied, with a judge ruling he was not seriously unwell or at high enough risk of suicide to prevent extradition.
Tahilramani's mental health concerns, specifically his risk of suicide in isolation, were discussed in his appeal to the High Court. His lawyer, Edward Fitzgerald, argued that Tahilramani's pre-trial detention in isolation due to his sexual orientation puts him at high risk of suicide due to his underlying mental health issues. However, Judge Derek Sweeting dismissed Tahilramani's appeal, stating that the lower court was not wrong in ordering his extradition to stand trial.
The High Court in London heard Tahilramani's appeal in April, and Judge Derek Sweeting issued a written ruling in favor of Tahilramani's extradition to stand trial. The judge's ruling upheld the lower court's decision to extradite Tahilramani to the U.S. The location of Tahilramani's trial in the U.S. has not been specified.
Notable entertainment figures Tahilramani allegedly impersonated include Wendi Deng, Kathleen Kennedy, and Sherry Lansing. Tahilramani is accused of tricking people into travelling to Indonesia and paying exorbitant fees for non-existent film work.
While applying for asylum in Britain, Tahilramani expressed concern about potential attacks on him as a gay man in prison. However, the specific mental health concerns raised by Tahilramani in his challenge to the extradition have not been detailed in the provided article.
As Tahilramani awaits his trial in the U.S., the entertainment industry remains vigilant against fraud and impersonation, ensuring that professionals are protected from such scams in the future.
- The "Hollywood Con Queen," Hargobind Tahilramani, facing trial in the United States for a seven-year fraud spree, involving millions in fake film deals, is also a matter of general-news interest due to his extradition proceedings.
- Aside from the high-profile fraud case in the crime-and-justice realm, Tahilramani's mental health concerns and fears of potential persecution due to his sexual orientation during pre-trial detention have become significant topics of discussion within the general-news and human rights sectors.
