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LISBON -- A Pennsylvania man charged for his involvement in an alleged scam involving gold coins had his cases in Columbiana County Municipal Court bound over to the county grand jury.
Charges against Vashist Gadela, 30, Erie, Pa., include fourth-degree felony theft and misdemeanor possessing criminal tools.
According to an affidavit filed by Columbiana police, the victim reported the scam on June 22, saying they believed they were buying gold coins to secure their assets and gave them to someone who identified himself as "Bernardo Pillot" from the U.S. Marshals, with the total for two separate transactions totaling $124,665.
On June 3, a $69,855 order was placed for 15 gold coins, with the victim picking up the coins from a Boardman coin shop on June 5 and then giving them to a courier on June 6 in Columbiana. The second order was placed on June 8 for $54,810 for 12 gold coins, picked up on June 12 and then given to a courier on June 13 in Austintown.
The victim then became aware of the operation being a scam and called police. The victim continued to tell "Bernardo" they were refinancing their home to get more coins, with a fake cashier's check made for $84,400 on July 30 and sent to the scammers via the victim on July 31. The coins were supposedly picked up on Aug. 4 and the pickup was to happen on Aug. 6 in Columbiana, with the victim maintaining contact with the scammer by phone.
The victim was told to meet a person named "Jerry" in a white BMW in Columbiana and use a specific code to ensure the drop-off was to the correct person. The package was given to the defendant after he allegedly identified himself as "Jerry" and drove away from the victim, with undercover police stopping the vehicle.
The charges against Gadela cover the incident involving the $84,400 and for possession of two cell phones, one which was being used with an active call ongoing through WhatsApp by the other scammer talking to the victim, along with a radio frequency scanner.