Bollywood actor Aman Dhaliwal survives Corona gym attack as Indian-origin financier faces $100M fraud charges
Two dramatic incidents have put South Asian figures at the center of Corona-area news. Punjabi Bollywood actor Aman Dhaliwal survived a knife-and-hatchet attack by a stranger at a local Planet Fitness gym, requiring hospital treatment before being released to recover. Separately, Indian-born financier Mahender Makhijani was arrested at his Corona del Mar home on federal allegations that he manipulated real-estate documents to defraud a bank of nearly $100 million.
Punjabi actor Aman Dhaliwal survives knife-and-hatchet assault at Corona gym
Punjabi Bollywood actor Aman Dhaliwal, 36, a Corona resident who has appeared in more than a dozen films and television productions, survived a terrifying assault at a Planet Fitness gym on 3685 Grand Oaks Drive in Corona. ABC7 Los Angeles reported that Ronald Chand, 30, of Santa Ana arrived at the gym parking lot on a Tuesday morning, behaving erratically inside his vehicle. When Dhaliwal observed the unusual behavior and began recording him on a cell phone, Chand allegedly reacted by blocking the actor with his car and then getting out to attack him with both a knife and a hatchet. Dhaliwal ran inside the gym to escape, but Chand followed him through the doors. Gym patron John Keane, who had been exercising nearby, described hearing escalating screaming before turning around to see Chand with a knife in one hand and a hatchet in the other, his arm wrapped around a bleeding Dhaliwal. Dhaliwal waited for the attacker to be distracted, knocked the weapon from Chand's grip, and pushed him to the ground. Three other gym members immediately stepped in and pinned Chand to the floor until police arrived. Witnesses told ABC7 the attacker appeared to be under the influence and was shouting incoherently, including something about rape and requests for water. Chand was charged with attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon. At his first court appearance in downtown Riverside he pleaded not guilty, and a judge set bail at one million dollars. A family member confirmed to Eyewitness News that Dhaliwal had sustained numerous injuries but had been discharged from the hospital and was recuperating at a nearby hotel while requesting privacy. [2]
Indian-born financier arrested at Corona del Mar in alleged $100M bank fraud
Federal prosecutors in Southern California arrested Mahender Makhijani, 44, an Indian-born US Green Card holder, at his residence in Corona del Mar on allegations that he engineered a scheme to defraud a federally insured bank of nearly $100 million. Gulf News reported that Makhijani controlled Newport Beach-based Cantor Group V LLC, which maintained a lending relationship with a federally insured bank. Prosecutors allege he falsified title insurance documents to make it appear his company held stronger legal claims over real-estate collateral than it actually did, enabling the firm to secure tens of millions of dollars in financing under false pretenses. Court filings described by Gulf News paint a portrait of lavish living allegedly sustained through the proceeds of this fraud, including travel on private jets, the use of luxury Bentley automobiles, and attendance at high-end private gatherings. Prosecutors also alleged that Makhijani made threats and engaged in other conduct to conceal the scheme. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of thirty years in federal prison. The arrest drew immediate attention in South Asian professional and business circles, raising questions about oversight mechanisms in commercial real-estate lending and the serious legal exposure that follows allegations of sustained document fraud. Makhijani was taken into custody following the arrest, and federal proceedings have begun. The Gulf News report noted the case involves allegations of fake records and deliberate misrepresentation stretching across multiple transactions with the affected bank. [1]
Sources: [2] ABC7 Los Angeles · [1] Gulf News