Sikkim man posing as pilot dupes 300 women using AI, arrested in Siliguri for gold, cash fraud

A man from Sikkim has been arrested for allegedly cheating over 300 women by impersonating a co-pilot on social media and dating platforms. The accused, identified as 30-year-old Hemant Sharma from Pakyong, worked as ground staff at Bengaluru Airport. According to police, he used artificial intelligence to edit his photos, show himself in a pilot’s uniform, and create fake profiles on Instagram and dating apps to deceive women into romantic relationships and later defraud them.

The arrest followed a complaint by a nurse who alleged that Sharma took four grams of gold from her under false pretenses. Based on the complaint, police at Medical More initiated an investigation and traced the accused to the Durga Mandir area near Shiv Mandir in Siliguri, where he was arrested on the night of May 6. Officials said Sharma used AI tools to gain trust and had been targeting multiple women using similar tactics over an extended period.

Police produced Sharma in Siliguri court and sought three days of custody to investigate further. They are examining the route of financial transactions and trying to identify whether other individuals were involved in the operation. Officials stated that efforts are ongoing to trace victims and gather digital evidence related to the fraud. The case has raised concerns over the use of AI in impersonation and identity fraud on online platforms.