Fake Embassy Busted in Ghaziabad: Man Operated Sham ‘Countries’ for 11 Years

In a shocking revelation, the Special Task Force (STF) has uncovered a massive fake embassy operation that had been running for over 11 years in Ghaziabad’s Kavi Nagar area. The alleged mastermind, Harshvardhan Jain, created imaginary countries—sometimes using names inspired by Italy or even villages in Bihar—to set up fraudulent embassies.

According to the STF, Jain established embassies for fictitious nations like Samborga, Polivia, Lodonia, and West Arctica. Preliminary investigations revealed that none of these entities existed on the internet or were officially recognized anywhere in the world. While Samborg is the name of a village in Italy (and also features in micro-nation lists online), Polivia was found on a few social media profiles but nowhere else. Lodonia turned out to be an actual village in Bihar’s Madhubani district, while ‘West Arctica’ was registered as a non-profit in Southern California and promoted as a micronation.

This elaborate scam is believed to have started around 2013–14, initially operating in secrecy. In recent years, the operation expanded, with increased movement of vehicles bearing fake diplomatic license plates near the property. These vehicles were parked in a way to mimic actual diplomatic activity, arousing suspicion among neighbors and ultimately tipping off authorities.

The STF reported having coordinated with central agencies before conducting raids. Upon investigation, officers discovered that the fake embassy operation was a front for a hawala (illegal money transfer) business and foreign contract scams. Jain posed as an international “fixer,” promising government tenders abroad in exchange for hefty fees. He also claimed to be close to notorious tantrik Chandraswami and in contact with international arms trafficker Adnan Khashogi, allegedly managing hawala networks for Khashogi overseas.

Inside the faux embassy, police found fake passports, official documents, and numerous IDs purportedly linked to these imaginary countries. Jain used these fake credentials to gain the trust of unsuspecting individuals, ultimately defrauding them in financial schemes.

This case has left security agencies stunned: How could a man run a fake embassy for over a decade, right next to the national capital, without detection? The STF is now probing Jain’s international connections as well as suspected financial transactions that may have far-reaching implications.

Investigations are ongoing, with authorities determined to get to the bottom of this bizarre and audacious fraud.