Police in India have arrested a man who took “fake it till you make it” to a whole new level by running a bogus embassy for countries that don’t even exist.
The suspect, 47-year-old Harshvardhan Jain, was living large in an upscale Ghaziabad bungalow where he pretended to be an ambassador of places like ‘Seborga’, ‘Westarctica’, and other micronations you’ve probably never heard of.
Authorities say he scammed dozens of people and companies by offering them cushy jobs and business opportunities in these imaginary countries, if they paid him a hefty fee first.
When police raided his “embassy,” they hit the jackpot: four cars with fake diplomatic plates, forged passports from 12 different made-up nations, stamps for 34 countries, ₹44 lakh in cash, and a stash of luxury watches.
Senior STF officer Sushil Ghule said Jain is also suspected of laundering money through shell companies in the UK, Mauritius, Dubai, and several African nations.
To make his scheme look legit, Jain reportedly hoisted flags of fake countries outside his bungalow and parked luxury cars out front because nothing says “diplomat” like a few flashy rides and a random flag.
Believe it or not, this isn’t the first fake embassy the world has seen. A few years ago, a fake U.S. embassy in Ghana operated for a whole decade before it was finally shut down.
Welcome to 2025, where even your embassy might need a fact-check.
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