Mahender Makhijani, a 44-year-old lawful permanent resident of the United States, has been apprehended by federal authorities on charges of bank fraud involving approximately $100 million.

Mahender Makhijani 是一名 44 歲的美國合法永久居民，他因涉嫌涉及約 1 億美元的銀行詐欺而被聯邦當局逮捕。

The legal proceedings center on the operations of Cantor Group V LLC, a Newport Beach-based entity under the control of Makhijani. Between September 2024 and April 2025, the accused is alleged to have systematically misrepresented the priority of real estate liens to a lending institution. This was purportedly achieved through the digital manipulation of title insurance documents and metadata via Adobe software, supplemented by the provision of fraudulent spreadsheets and verbal misrepresentations. Such actions were designed to simulate first-lien positions on collateral where other creditors actually held priority.

此次法律程序集中於 Cantor Group V LLC 的運作，這是一家位於 Newport Beach 並由 Makhijani 控制的實體。在 2024 年 9 月至 2025 年 4 月期間，被告被指系統性地向一家貸款機構誤導房地產留置權的優先級。據稱這是透過 Adobe 軟體對產權保險文件與元數據進行數位篡改，並輔以提供虛假的電子表格及口頭誤導來達成。此類行為旨在於其他債權人實際持有優先權的抵押品上，模擬出第一留置權的地位。

Beyond the financial irregularities, the federal complaint details a pattern of behavioral misconduct characterized by the use of coercion and intimidation. It is alleged that Makhijani utilized the hosting of illicit gatherings involving narcotics and sex workers as a mechanism for blackmailing associates and subordinates. Furthermore, witness testimonies indicate that the accused employed violent threats against employees and their families to ensure compliance. These tactics extended to external business rivalries, where Makhijani allegedly directed associates to engage in the harassment of competitors, including the unauthorized entry into businesses and the deployment of security personnel in physical confrontations, notably during a 2023 dispute involving Hotel Laguna.

除財務違規外，聯邦起訴書詳細描述了一種以脅迫與恐嚇為特徵的行為不端模式。據指 Makhijani 利用舉辦涉及麻醉品與性工作者的非法聚會，作為勒索同事與下屬的手段。此外，證人證詞顯示被告對員工及其家人採取暴力威脅以確保服從。這些手段還延伸至外部商業競爭，Makhijani 據稱指示同夥騷擾競爭對手，包括擅自進入公司及派遣保安人員進行肢體衝突，特別是在 2023 年涉及 Hotel Laguna 的糾紛期間。

Concurrent with the criminal charges, Makhijani's professional conduct has been the subject of civil litigation. In May, an arbitrator awarded approximately $1.34 billion to Mohammad Honarkar, concluding that Makhijani had engaged in fraudulent activity and breached contractual agreements. Despite the documented acquisition of high-value assets—including multiple luxury residences and private aviation—federal investigators have not yet fully accounted for the defendant's total financial resources, which are suspected to be held under third-party names.

與刑事指控同步，Makhijani 的專業操守也是民事訴訟的主題。今年 5 月，一名仲裁員判給 Mohammad Honarkar 約 13.4 億美元，認定 Makhijani 參與了詐欺活動並違反合約協議。儘管有記錄顯示其購入高價值資產——包括多處豪宅與私人飛機——但聯邦調查人員尚未完全查清被告的總體財務資源，據懷疑是以第三方名義持有。

Makhijani currently faces a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison and is scheduled for an initial appearance in the U.S. District Court in Santa Ana.

Makhijani 目前面臨最高 30 年的聯邦監獄法定刑期，並定於在 Santa Ana 的美國地區法院首次出庭。