Dracut man arrested, charged with larceny following social media marketplace scam

WILMINGTON, Mass. — The Wilmington Police Department has announced the arrest of a Dracut man following an investigation into a social media scam.

21-year-old Keanu Ashtar-Zadeh has been arrested and charged with the following:

• Attempt to Commit Felony Crime of Larceny over $1200.
• Intimidation of a Witness/Official
• Larceny over $1,200 by False Pretense
• Identity Fraud

According to police, on December 20, they received a report from a person who believed they were the subject of a scam.

The person said that they had reached out to someone on Facebook Marketplace regarding the sale of an authentic gold bar. The victim then met with the seller and paid them $4,150 for the bar. The victim then brought the gold bar to have it inspected, only to learn that it was fake.

An initial investigation by police learned that the seller was using a fake name, which prompted police to arrange a meet-up with the seller, later determined to be Ashtar-Zadeh, which led to his arrest. A search discovered two Florida IDs with other names.

“Wilmington Police would like to remind residents to be cautious when buying items online, especially from strangers,” Wilmington Police Chief Brian Pupa reported. “Wilmington Police welcomes residents to meet in the station lobby to conduct in-person transactions with unknown individuals.”

Ashtar-Zadeh was arraigned in Woburn District Court on Friday.

These are allegations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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