India’s absconding celebrity jeweller, Nirav Modi allegedly sold two fake diamond rings to a Canadian citizen, Paul Alfonso for £153400 that caused him to lose his lover which ultimately pushed him to depression.
Alfonso said that he contacted the police in New York and in Vancouver and has also registered an unlimited civil lawsuit against Modi with the superior court of California, suing him for £3.22 million, according to report published in Hong Kong daily South China Morning Post.
Alfonso was unaware of the alleged criminal activities of Modi when he purchased the rings to propose his girlfriend. When the couple found out that the rings were fake, the love affair ended and Alfonso’s life turned into a nightmare.
In April 2018, Alfonso sent an email to Modi, asking for a special engagement ring, at a cost of £76696.50 to propose to his girlfriend. Accordingly, Modi agreed to supply a 3.2 carat round brilliant diamond cut, D colour, VVS1 – a high-quality grade and colourless stone at 92035.80.
Alfonso purchased another 2.5-carat oval diamond for £61357.20 after his girlfriend wanted a new ring in a different special design. He received both rings in June.
The originality of the two rings supplied by Modi came into light when Alfonso’s fiance took the rings to an appraiser. Alfonso’s girlfriend decided to end their relationship soon after she found out the rings were fake.
What went wrong is, Alfonso didn’t know that the celebrity jeweller was already a most wanted man for his alleged financial crime. In January 2018, India’s Punjab National Bank (PNB) registered a criminal complaint accusing Modi and his relatives of defrauding the bank.
According to the South China Morning Post, Alfonso said that he has suffered from financial loss and depression after he realised that the two diamonds were not original. “After that, I just could not function,” he says. “I realised that even if I go after this guy, there are so many creditors before me who are trying to get compensated.”
The incident has adversely impacted the business of Alfonso as he has been focusing on seeking justice in the case.
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