‘I am a victim,’ says so-called ‘Con Queen of Hollywood’ accused of posing as film executives and duping more than 300 victims out of $1 million

It is not an exaggeration to say that showbusiness attracts a lot of people. There are millions out there who want to try their luck in moviemaking industries like Hollywood and make a name for themselves. While some toil for years to get a ticket to Hollywood, others do not mind taking a shortcut, and a large number of such people often fall prey to fraudsters who claim to set their lives in showbiz overnight.

FBI in 2020 arrested a fraudster, known as the ‘Con Queen of Hollywood,’ who made millions by hoodwinking people who dreamt of a career in Hollywood. He impersonated several high-profile Hollywood executives and duped them out of $1 million by offering non-existent work in the film business, a court heard.

Hargobind Tahilramani, 42, has, however, claimed that he is a victim of a conspiracy to make films about his life. He said that he had been framed by US prosecutors. When Westminster magistrates’ court asked why he said so, he said, “To sell the podcast. Because I’m an interesting person. They want to make films out of me, they want to make television.”

He further told the court that he was born in Indonesia and grew up in the US as “the son of one of the most renowned producers in Indonesia”.

He added that he was thrown off a business course for plagiarism. He said that he had returned to Indonesia in “disgrace” after spending £100,000 using his father’s credit card, and was “forcibly put into an institution” by his family to “treat my homosexuality” before getting a PR job with EMI.

Among those Tahilramani is accused of impersonating are producer Gigi Pritzker, Disney exec Dana Walden and Annapurna Pictures founder Megan Ellison.

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