A suspected con artist who allegedly impersonated top female Hollywood executives to dupe aspiring stars out of hundreds of thousands of dollars has been arrested in the UK.
Dubbed the "Con Queen of Hollywood", the suspect would "alter his voice to sound like a woman" and allegedly promised movie projects to would-be stars.
He was unmasked in an unsealed court indictment on Thursday as Hargobind Tahilramani, a 41-year-old Indonesian man.
The suspect led investigators on a years-long, global manhunt so improbable it has even been optioned for a book deal.
"The defendant has been arrested in the United Kingdom based on a request for his provisional arrest submitted by the United States with a view towards his extradition," an FBI spokesman in San Diego, California told AFP.
Among the Hollywood moguls Mr Tahilramani allegedly impersonated were Lucasfilm boss Kathleen Kennedy, former Sony movie chief Amy Pascal, and ex-Paramount boss Sherry Lansing.
Wendi Murdoch, the former wife of Rupert Murdoch, was also allegedly impersonated by the master of accents, along with various male movie executives.
Victims were approached with offers of lucrative showbiz jobs and instructed to travel to Indonesia for tasks including location scouting, research and drafting screenplays, according to court documents filed in California.
Mr Tahilramani would "use fake accents and alter his voice to sound like a woman," the documents state.
On arrival, the victims were allegedly billed for US currency at every turn by Mr Tahilramani and his co-conspirators, with the promised movie projects transpiring to be entirely fictional, and their expenses never reimbursed.
If targets complained or expressed doubt, Mr Tahilramani would sometimes threaten to "dismember" them, the documents state.
The scam began as early as 2013, and continued despite global Covid-19 travel bans to this August, when victims were instead asked to shell out for non-existent training videos.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, Mr Tahilramani was arrested by Manchester police last week with the assistance of private investigators from K2 Integrity.
In a statement to AFP, co-founder Jules Kroll said K2 had helped US, British and Indonesian authorities in "bringing the individual known as the 'Con Queen of Hollywood' to justice."
Mr Tahilramani -- also known as Gobind Lal Tahil -- had already been "unmasked" last month as the likely suspect in the bizarre fraud by investigative podcast "Chameleon: Hollywood Con Queen."
That came after K2 last year issued a statement declaring the "Con Queen" was a man.
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
AUSTRALIA SQUAD
Aaron Finch (captain), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Glenn Maxwell, Ben McDermott, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Billy Stanlake, Mitchell Starc, Ashton Turner, Andrew Tye, David Warner, Adam Zampa
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
PRISCILLA
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Sofia%20Coppola%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%20Cailee%20Spaeny%2C%20Jacob%20Elordi%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
1,000 Books to Read Before You Die: A Life-Changing List
James Mustich, Workman
