A businessman has been pretending to be the envoy from the non-existent nations of West Arctica, Saborga, Poulvia, and Lodonia
Police in the Indian city of Ghaziabad near New Delhi have arrested a 45-year-old man who claimed to be the ambassador of a host of non-existent nations.
Harsh Vardhan Jain presented himself as a “globe-trotting diplomat” and the ambassador or consul of the fake countries of West Arctica, Saborga, Poulvia, and Lodonia, an official from the Uttar Pradesh state special police task force told local media on Thursday.
A small golden nameplate of a rented house described him as “His Excellency Harsh Vardhan Jain, Royale Consigliere, Principato di Seborga,” claiming to be the “Royal Advisor” to Seborga, a micronation in Italy’s Liguria province that is not recognized by the international community, according to the Indian Express.
The house’s balcony and roof displayed fake flags, including one with a white cross on a blue background and another with a royal crown and shield, the paper added.
Police allege that Jain operated a sophisticated scam from the two-story building, used fabricated documents and claimed international connections.
The police task force seized four vehicles with diplomatic plates, 20 additional fake number plates, 12 forged diplomatic passports, stamps and seals with fake Indian Foreign Ministry credentials, and other documents. Cash was also recovered, consisting of $5,200 in Indian currency, €17,000, $14,000, and £5,200 pounds, among other currencies.
Jain’s elaborate setup, which included manipulated photos of him with world leaders, was allegedly used to deceive businessmen and launder money over the past two years. He used his supposed diplomatic status to gain the trust of businessmen, promising them access to global markets and running an illicit money laundering network through shell companies, according to local media reports.
The fake embassy was operating for seven years, according to the Hindustan Times.
