Crash. Claim. Controversy (2)

From Fake Embassy to Global Con: Inside the Westarctica Scam and the Rs. 300-Crore Empire of Harshvardhan Jain

It resembled an embassy. It has national flags, diplomatic plates on luxury vehicles, and a man who liked to be called ‘His Excellency.’ What was inside was not a diplomatic mission; it was a meticulously designed ruse that concealed one of the most astonishing cons in recent times.

Harshvardhan Jain, now under police detention, is charged with operating a fake embassy from a Ghaziabad residence for eight years. What began as a peculiar tale has become a sensational case of fictitious identities, phony jobs, hawala networks, and a Rs. 300-crore scam that spans continents.

Ghaziabad ‘Embassy’ Raid Uncovers Pandora’s Box

Harshvardhan Jain was detained last week from the two-story bungalow he said was the ‘Embassy of the Grand Duchy of Westarctica’, a micronation in Antarctica. Police, who broke into the building, found four vehicles with spurious diplomatic licence plates, fake documents, and a collection of luxury watches inside. 

Investigators claim Jain operated an international job racket and laundered money from overseas using this facility. He took 162 trips abroad in 10 years and is suspected of maintaining several offshore accounts.

Fake Nation, Real Victims

The impostor embassy had been operating since 2017, although Jain had only leased the current premises six months prior. He employed charity functions and public banquets to create the appearance of legitimacy. Once within, hapless job seekers were assured employment overseas, but it was a sting.

Powerful Connections, Dangerous Friends

The probe has also revealed Jain’s connections to tainted godman Chandraswami and Saudi weapons trader Adnan Khashoggi. Police claim Chandraswami introduced him to another swindler, Ahsan Ali Sayed, with whom Jain supposedly created 25 shell firms for money laundering. 

Sayed, who had a Swiss company that provided spurious loans for brokerage, is estimated to have cheated customers of more than Rs. 300 crore.

Westarctica Dumps Its Rogue Representative

Following Jain’s arrest, Westarctica, the country Jain was allegedly representing, issued a robust statement. It stated Jain had only ever donated and was offered an honorary title, not diplomatic authority. 

His use of number plates, stamps, and embassy logos was ‘unauthorised.’ Jain has been suspended, and the organization states it will assist Indian authorities.

What Is Westarctica?

Created in 2001 by an American Navy officer, Westarctica occupies territory in Antarctica utilizing a loophole in the treaty system. It has a flag, a currency, and more than 2,000 ‘citizens’, but no nation has ever recognized it. 

It exists as a non-profit to raise awareness of climate change, and never had a genuine embassy in India.