Iranian woman arrested for $700 currency swap fraud at Delhi IGI airport

New Delhi [India], June 26 (ANI): The staff of IGI Airport Police arrested Iranian national Fatemah Akbari, who was involved in an ingenious currency swap fraud that duped a US citizen of $700 at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport, officials said on Thursday.

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According to FIR No. 447/25 dated June 21, 2025, registered at IGI Airport Police Station, the complainant Baldev Singh, a 70-year-old US citizen originally from Village Tanda, Hoshiarpur district, Punjab, alleged that on June 20, 2025, while unloading luggage near Departure Gate No. 7 at around 10:45 pm, he was approached by a couple of Iranian nationals accompanied by a child.

The couple initiated a conversation and asked to see his Indian currency to show their child. Singh handed them a ₹50 note. They then asked to see his US dollars, and Singh showed them nine $100 bills from his side bag. The couple took the notes, showed them to the child, and appeared to return them.

However, upon later inspection, Singh found that the original US currency had been deceitfully replaced. The returned bundle, though appearing to contain US dollars on the top and bottom, was filled with five ₹500 Indian notes in the middle, effectively cheating him out of seven USD 100 bills.

Police investigations involved analysing CCTV footage at the airport, which helped trace the vehicle used in the crime -- a Renault Triber registered in the name of Beena from Vikaspuri, Delhi. The mobile number linked to the car was found inactive, and further inquiry revealed no record of Beena Kaur at the CRPF Mahila Battalion address linked to the vehicle.

Checking traffic challans related to the vehicle revealed a phone number subscribed to Param Singh, Beena's husband. It was confirmed that the car was leased to an Iranian family in February 2025. GPS tracking located the vehicle in Saket, Delhi, and police identified the occupants as Iranian nationals Fatemah Akbari, 52, and Mojtaba Zolfaghari, 55.

Fatemah Akbari was apprehended from a guest house in Saket and arrested, while her husband, Mojtaba Zolfaghari, managed to flee.

During interrogation, Fatemah confessed that due to financial difficulties, her husband and associates targeted foreign nationals to quickly earn money through such scams. They mainly operated in areas like Lajpat Nagar, Connaught Place, Khan Market, and the airport.

She admitted that on the night of June 20-21, 2025, she, along with her husband and son, cheated the elderly US citizen at the airport by tricking him into showing money to their child and stealing USD 700 from him.

Further, police revealed that Mojtaba Zolfaghari was previously involved in other similar cheating and theft cases registered at police stations in Lajpat Nagar, Vasant Kunj, RK Puram, and Gurugram.

The investigation is ongoing to locate the absconding accused, scrutinise their bank accounts, and probe possible involvement in other similar cases. Police efforts are focused on dismantling the fraud network operating in the region. (ANI)

(The story has come from a syndicated feed and has not been edited by the Tribune Staff.)