Bollywood Actor Survives Hatchet Attack in Corona; Indian-Origin Financier Faces Federal Fraud Case
Two strikingly different incidents placed members of Southern California's South Asian community in the news this week. A Bollywood actor with more than a dozen screen credits survived a violent hatchet and knife attack inside a Corona gym, while federal prosecutors in a separate case brought charges against an Indian-origin financier accused of defrauding a bank out of nearly $100 million. The two stories, separated by geography and circumstances, reflect the wide range of events touching South Asian life across the region.
Bollywood Actor Aman Dhaliwal Attacked with Hatchet at Corona Gym
Bollywood actor Aman Dhaliwal, 36, a Corona resident with more than a dozen film and television credits, was attacked inside a Planet Fitness gym at 3685 Grand Oaks in Corona after recording a man behaving erratically in the parking lot. According to police, the suspect, Ronald Chand, 30, of Santa Ana, became enraged upon noticing he was being filmed, blocked Dhaliwal's vehicle with his car, then got out and attacked him with both a knife and a hatchet — first in the parking lot and then inside the gym after Dhaliwal ran inside seeking safety. A fellow gym-goer described hearing screaming before turning to see a man holding a knife in one hand and a hatchet in the other, with his arm around a bleeding victim. Dhaliwal, displaying considerable presence of mind despite his injuries, waited for a moment of distraction and then attempted to disarm his attacker. Four witnesses then restrained Chand until police arrived. Chand was charged with attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon and entered a not guilty plea at his first court appearance in downtown Riverside, where he was held on $1 million bail. A family member confirmed that Dhaliwal, though seriously injured, had been discharged from the hospital and was recovering privately at a nearby hotel. [3]
Indian-Origin SoCal Financier Arrested in Alleged $100 Million Bank Fraud
Mahender Makhijani, 44, an Indian-born United States Green Card holder, was arrested at his Corona del Mar residence in Southern California on federal charges alleging he defrauded a federally insured bank out of nearly $100 million. Prosecutors allege that Makhijani, who controlled Newport Beach-based Cantor Group V LLC, manipulated title insurance records to misrepresent the strength of his company's claims over real-estate collateral, thereby unlawfully securing tens of millions of dollars in financing. The charges paint a picture of spectacular excess: prosecutors described a lifestyle financed by private jet travel, luxury designer clothing, and high-end automobiles including Bentleys. Gulf News reported that the alleged scheme involved falsifying insurance documents and deliberately misleading lenders about the nature and quality of the collateral underpinning the loans. If convicted on all charges, Makhijani faces up to 30 years in federal prison. The case has attracted international attention because of the sheer scale of the alleged fraud and the stark contrast between Makhijani's public image as a successful financier and the conduct described in federal court documents, which portray a sustained pattern of deception across multiple transactions with the same lending institution. [2]
Sources: [3] ABC7 Los Angeles · [2] Gulf News