Orange County dentist arrested for scamming elderly couple in Baldwinsville
State Police in Lysander arrested Saidapet R. Sridhar, 46, of 8 Paul Court, Washingtonville, for third-degree criminal possession of stolen property (a class D felony).
In May of 2017, an elderly couple from Baldwinsville received a pop-up message on their home computer informing them that their computer was infected with a virus and to immediately contact Microsoft at a provided phone number. They did so and purchased the virus protection.
Then on July 12, 2017, they were re-contacted, allegedly by the same individual, who told them that they were entitled to a refund for the virus protection, because the company was moving out of the country and that, in order to facilitate that refund, they needed to provide him with their bank account number.
They did so, and the individual told them that he mistakenly deposited an additional $8,500 into their account, which they needed to return to him. They transferred the $8,500 into a Bank of America savings account number provided to them by that individual.
The investigation revealed the account belonged to an Orange County Dentist, Dr. Saidapet R. Sridhar. On the same day that the money was deposited into his savings account, it was transferred into his checking account and immediately used to pay his personal expenses including credit cards.
Sridhar was charged with one count of third-degree criminal possession of stolen property and arraigned in New Windsor Town Court, Orange County. He was released on his own recognizance.
The investigation continues.