Man, 54, pleads guilty to fraud; jailed for two years

A 54-year-old man, who was arrested earlier this week, pleaded guilty to four counts of obtaining money by false pretence and was sentenced to two years imprisonment on each charge, which will run concurrently.

Gopaul Tiwari, who is known by several names, including ‘Omkar/Big Mike/Chris Persaud and Mike Persaud’, of Dora, Demerara River, made his appearance before Magistrate Faith McGusty at the Wales Magistrate Court on Thursday.

Tiwari is accused of taking money from several persons and promising to get them visas, vehicles, property and land.

Tiwari pleaded guilty to defrauding four persons- David Sears of $200,000 where he pretended that he would deliver a Toyota motorcar to him; Pat Johnson of $260,000 by falsely pretending that he would grant her and her children US visas; Krishan Lochan of $914,000 for a land to be leased to him and Steve Narine of $605,000 by pretending that he would import and deliver a Honda motorcar to him.

Police had issued a wanted bulletin for Tiwari in December 2021.

He was arrested on Tuesday after a team of police ranks, acting on information received, went to a Guest House in Eccles, East Bank Demerara, and found Tiwari.

In May 2016, Tiwari was jailed for 54 months on charges of fraudulent conversion and conspiracy to commit a felony.