Sidhartha “Sammy” Mukherjee and his wife Sunita lit up stages across North Texas with their voices — and lit up social circles with their charm. The Plano couple, known for their Bollywood-style performances, became local celebrities, hosting parties and headlining music and cultural events.
But federal investigators allege that behind the curtain of applause was a different kind of performance — one that, according to the FBI’s review of the Mukherjees’ bank records, may have left more than 100 people defrauded.
“They will make you believe that they are very successful businesspeople,” said Terry Parvaga, an alleged fraud victim. “But they will take every single penny you have.”
In June, the Mukherjees were arrested and charged in Tarrant County with first-degree felony theft.
The CBS News Texas I-Team began investigating the Mukherjees nearly two years ago. Parvaga is one of nearly a dozen alleged victims the I-Team interviewed in March of 2024.
Facebook/Sammy Gautami Melodies
The alleged victims said they were lured into investing in what they believed were legitimate real estate deals. The Mukherjees allegedly promised high returns, but suspicion set in when dividend checks started to bounce.
“Looking back, we should have been much wiser in terms of asking questions,” said Seshu Madabhushi, another alleged victim. “But we never thought someone would go to that extent.”
A lone detective, a long investigation
Several police departments initially dismissed the complaints as civil disputes. But Euless Police Detective Brian Brennan, a veteran white-collar crime investigator, agreed to take on the case when he was approached by a couple claiming they had lost $325,000 in an alleged investment scheme.
“As I got into the case and dug into it, we realized that this was a lot larger than what initially was reported,” Brennan said.
Multiple investors accuse the Mukherjees of providing what appeared to be remodeling contracts and invoices from the Dallas Housing Authority. They said the documents convinced them to invest in what they believed were lucrative remodeling projects.
When Brennan contacted the DHA, he said he discovered the housing authority had no such projects. According to the affidavit for arrest, “all of the paperwork, receipt and email correspondence were forged.”
The affidavit also states that investigators believe the Mukherjees used forged documents in other investment deals as well.
“All fake,” Brennan said. “The level of counterfeit documents … it had to be a full-time job for him to do that.”
As the case expanded, Brennan brought in the FBI. According to federal investigators, forensic accountants determined that victim losses totaled more than $4 million, with 20 confirmed victims and over 100 potential victims.
PPP loans and alleged elderly scams
The alleged deception extended beyond real estate. According to the affidavit for arrest, the Mukherjees used a fake company with fictitious employees to apply for a federal Paycheck Protection Program loan.
In June, Brennan and an FBI agent met with Sammy Mukherjee at a McDonald’s restaurant in Plano to discuss his investment companies. During that meeting, according to the affidavit, the FBI agent asked Mukherjee if he recognized the names “Richard Jackson,” “Nikki Reynolds” and “Mike Summerville.” Mukherjee responded that he did not. According to the affidavit, those names were listed on a payroll form Mukherjee submitted as part of the PPP loan application.
The affidavit also states that investigators questioned Mukherjee about checks that had allegedly been deposited into the couple’s bank accounts. According to the affidavit, the funds came “from defrauding elderly folks” who were “scammed out of monies responding to threatening emails about arrest.” Investigators said the victims believed they were sending money to law enforcement to avoid jail time.
Mukherjee allegedly told investigators the checks were given to him by a business partner and that the money was supposed to be from investors for a hotel project, according to the affidavit. When asked about contacting the business partner, Mukherjee reportedly told investigators the partner had died the previous year.
“In [my] 23 years, [Sammy Mukherjee] is probably the most prolific fraudster I’ve seen,” Brennan told the CBS News Texas I-Team. “Tentacles going in all different directions.”
Still in the spotlight
Even as the investigation progressed, the Mukherjees continued to seek the spotlight.
In May, they headlined a charity gala in Richardson hosted by a newly formed nonprofit, the Indian Traditions & Cultural Society of North America. The guest of honor was a Bollywood legend from India. Other guests included the mayor of Plano.
Tax records show the nonprofit is registered to the couple’s Plano home — the same residence where they were arrested weeks later.
Facing felony charges
Sammy and Sunita Mukherjee have been charged with first-degree felony theft, a charge that carries a potential sentence of five to 99 years in prison if convicted.
After both posted a $500,000 bond, Sammy Mukherjee was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at his Plano home. He is currently being held at an ICE detention facility south of Fort Worth.
Investigators said the couple came to the United States from India seeking asylum. Federal online records do not indicate their current immigration status.
According to the arrest affidavit, the alleged victims also submitted documentation indicating that Sammy Mukherjee has outstanding fraud warrants in Mumbai, India.
The CBS News Texas I-Team reached out to the couple’s criminal attorney for comment and has not heard back.
When contacted last year by the I-Team, Sammy Mukherjee denied all allegations, claiming he was the victim of a coordinated effort by dozens of people to defame him because they’re jealous of his status and success.
After the I-Team’s initial report aired in July 2024, Mukherjee and his attorney sent a legal notice demanding multiple retractions and corrections. In that notice, they alleged the reporting was false and that Mukherjee never defrauded anyone.
That same I-Team report is now referenced in the affidavit for the couple’s arrest.
Will the alleged victims recover any money?
The likelihood of victims recovering their money appears slim, according to investigators. The Mukherjees filed for bankruptcy last year. Investigators are still working to determine whether any funds were moved offshore or into a cryptocurrency account.
“I think it’s gone,” Brennan told the I-Team. “I think they’ve spent it on cars, their house, and in just living expenses.”
More from CBS News
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.cbsnews.com ’
