US Woman's Shocking Experience: Fake Jewelry Worth Rs 300 Sold for Rs 6 Crore in Jaipur

In a bizarre incident that has left authorities stunned,  a US woman,  named Cherish Nortje, purchased fake jewelry worth Rs 300 for a staggering Rs 6 crore (approximately $750,000 USD) from a shop in Johri Bazaar in Jaipur,  India. 

(Photo credit: India Today) US woman Cherish Nortje & Fake Jewelry Worth Rs 300 Sold for Rs 6 Crore in Jaipur

Read More: Tragic Building Fire in Kuwait Claims 40 Indian Lives; PM Modi Convenes Emergency Meeting

Read More: North Korea Sends Additional Trash Balloons to South amid Warning of 'New Counteraction'

Unaware of the vendor's true intentions,  the woman was impressed by the quality and craftsmanship of the jewelry. Convinced,  she decided to purchase ornaments that were said to be worth Rs 6 crore. The vendor kindly reassured her that the jewelry was authentic and of great value.

When she got back to the United States,  the woman found out the jewelry was actually fake. She was really shocked and upset about the vendor's trickery,  so she decided to report it to the authorities.

The exhibition in the US in April 2024 was crucial in exposing the fake jewelry that Cherish Nortje had purchased from a shop in Jaipur,  India. When she displayed the jewelry,  which she had bought for Rs 6 crore, at the exhibition,  it was discovered to be counterfeit. The jewelry turned out to be made of silver with gold polish and moissanite stones instead of genuine diamonds.

Cherish flew back to India because it turns out that the sparkly jewelry she bought from shop owners,  Rajendra Soni and his son Gaurav Soni wasn't all it was cracked up to be. Thanks to an awesome exhibition,  some experts got a good look at the pieces and revealed they were,  well,  fakes! This whole thing might have gone unnoticed if it weren't for the exhibition,  which saved Cherish from being fooled.

The woman from the US filed a complaint with the Jaipur Police and reached out to the US embassy for assistance.

In her complaint filed on May 18,  Cherish mentioned to the police that she met Soni through Instagram in 2022. Over the next two years,  she purchased several pieces of jewelry from him,  believing they were made of real gold. She ended up paying over ₹6 crore for these pieces. Unfortunately,  reports indicate that the actual value of the fake jewelry might be around ₹300.

Cherish Nortje,  speaking to India Today TV, said, "... Gaurav Soni and his father,  (owner) of Rama Exports,  have been systematically cheating me in jewellery. They have been shipping me nine-carat and gold plates instead of 14-carat... They have been shipping me entirely moonstone instead of natural diamond. It's not just me,  it's about 10 other designers who are impacted by him and his fraud... He included fake certificates... Just nothing is real."

Speaking to the media about the case,  Jaipur Police's DCP Bajrang Singh Shekhawat said, "During the investigation,  the police sent the jewellery for testing. The results showed that the diamonds in it were moonstones. The tests further showed that the gold content in the jewellery,  which should have been 14 carats,  was also two carats. The accused jewellers also filed a complaint alleging that the woman fled with jewellery from their shop. But when we checked the CCTV footage,  it turned out to be false."

Gaurav Soni and his father,  Rajendra Soni, are currently unaccounted for,  and efforts are ongoing to locate them. In the meantime, the individual accused of issuing authenticity certificates for the counterfeit jewelry has been arrested.

"The accused jewellers are on the run,  but we have arrested one Nandkishore,  who issued fake hallmark certificates. A lookout notice has also been issued against the main accused, Gaurav Soni. Following the complaint by this woman from the US,  the police also received several other complaints,  alleging fraud worth crores by Gaurav Soni and Rajendra Soni,  which are currently under investigation,"  Jaipur Police's DCP Bajrang Singh Shekhawat said.

As the investigation moves forward,  the Jaipur Police are kindly asking anyone with information about the vendor to come forward and help with the case. They want to make sure this woman gets the help she deserves,  and that everything is handled fairly.