An alleged international scam artist known as the "Hollywood Con Queen" has lost a last-ditch attempt to avoid extradition from the UK to the US, setting the stage for a dramatic trial in California. Hargobind Tahilramani, a 45-year-old Indonesian citizen, faces charges related to an alleged seven-year fraud scheme that targeted the movie industry. He allegedly posed as high-profile female film executives while swindling roughly $1 million from 300 individuals—including actors and screenwriters—between 2013 and 2020, per Reuters. Prosecutors say Tahilramani enticed victims to travel to Indonesia with promises of lucrative film work, only for them to be hit with hefty, fraudulent fees.
After his 2020 arrest in Manchester, England, a British court and government officials approved his transfer to the US. Tahilramani contested the decision, citing concerns over his mental health and his safety as a gay man in American prisons. His legal team argued in London's High Court that these issues could subject him to isolation and a heightened risk of suicide. However, Justice Derek Sweeting upheld the extradition order, noting any difference in Tahilramani's treatment in US prisons would be with the intention to prevent interprisoner violence, per the Independent. Tahilramani, who has applied for asylum in the UK, is now expected to stand trial in the US on charges of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
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