They know who he is. Watch out, everyone! Including you, bladerunner.
US Authorities want Swami Swindler.

Alleged swindler used prayer to pilfer millions
MISSISSAUGA -- Two men named on Peel Police arrest warrants in the so-called "Swami swindler" case are wanted in cities throughout the United States for allegedly bilking dozens of people out of millions of dollars, the Sun has learned.

Local police began investigating after Paramjit Bhullar of Woodbridge said he forked over $105,000 to someone who promised him a special prayer that would win him a $21-million lottery, only to disappear last month before the prayer was recited.

Since then, police have identified 35 to 40 victims across the GTA, Det.-Const. Michael MacDougall of Peel's fraud squad said yesterday.

Each victim claims they gave a man who called himself Brother Roshan, a so-called spiritual healer, tens of thousands of dollars in cash after he appeared on local multicultural radio stations, wowed them with magic tricks and promised a special prayer for the big win.

After the Sun published stories about the scam earlier this month, a Texas woman called Bhullar saying she was scammed by the same person in 2003, also for $105,000.

Like Bhullar, Kamal Khairah said she went to Brother Roshan after he advertised in the local Indian and Pakistani media as a spiritual healer who could solve life's problems for free, Khairah said from Sugar Land, Tex. yesterday.

Also like Bhullar, she went to the man hoping to solve family problems, but conversations soon alluded to promises of a lotto win if she forked over cash.

After her scammer disappeared in May 2003, Khairah tracked him in media reports throughout the United States, where several victims told similar stories.

"I am asking myself how in the world I could do this," said Khairah. "It has become a joke now. I really don't know, should I laugh or should I cry?"

Different police forces allege the same scam was pulled off in New Jersey in 1997; Sugar Land in 2003; Chicago in 2004; Union City, Calif. in 2006 and, finally, at a Mississauga home on Guildwood Way in 2007.

MacDougall has so far touched base with police in Chicago and Sugar Land, and is in the process of connecting more dots.

Yesterday, a Canada-wide arrest warrant was issued for Mohammad Umar Ashrafi, 43, who police say posed as Brother Roshan, and Latafat Ali Khan, 36, who also goes by Shair Ali Khan and acted as Ashrafi's "assistant."

Both carry Indian passports issued in Mumbai and are wanted for fraud and laundering proceeds of crime.

CAME HERE IN '97

It appears Ashrafi first arrived in Canada in 1997 via Pearson International Airport, MacDougall said.

He landed there again in April 2007 on a vacation visa from India, which police believe was extended several times until April 2008.

"He was able to keep and cover his tracks very well," MacDougall said, adding money was sent back to India through Punjab wire exchanges.

"There is a large East Indian community out in Vancouver. It is a possibility that he's gone that way. It is also a possibility that he's fled back to India," MacDougall said.

Police will seek an extradition order should the suspects be found abroad, he said.

Police records from Union City, Calif., name 16 victims who were scammed out of more than $1.3 million, though officials there say there are more than 50 other victims who don't want to be named and the total could be $4 million.

MacDougall alleges the accused sized up potential victims by checking out their vehicles and inquiring about their jobs.

"The factory workers, he would basically say, 'Yeah, I'll say a prayer for you. Don't come back.' The people who were well-to-do ... these are the people who he would target," he said.