The Apple TV+ documentary Hollywood Scam Queens tells the story of a costly scam that impacted the entertainment industry from the inside out.
The three-part series, based on Scott Johnson's original reporting and follow-up book, tells the stories of actors, photographers and other freelancers who feel they're being targeted by powerful women in Hollywood - like Ai Pascal and Kathleen Kennedy—hired, only to find themselves hired. After spending thousands of dollars on work travel and other expenses, they have been communicating with imposters.
Ultimately, the documentary series pointed to an Indonesian man as the perpetrator of the elaborate plot. So, where is Hargobind Tahirramani aka Harvey today?
Who is the "Queen of Hollywood Scams"?
A private investigation identified Tahir Ramani as the alleged imposter after multiple people reported losses in savings and disturbing demands from the so-called "Hollywood Con Queen."
After Johnson got in touch with Tahir Ramani in Manchester, England, the two began a lengthy conversation. Tahirramani welcomed the opportunity to speak with Johnson and filmmaker Chris Smith so he could make his case.
Tahir Ramani describes his difficult childhood and found solace in movies. He pointed to women like Pascal and Kennedy as people he respected.
"There's no way to completely know what's going on in someone's mind, but from our conversations, it feels like (the Liar Queen) may have had similar dreams to the victims he targeted," Smith speculated in an interview with Primetimer.
Johnson wrote in The Reporter that Tahirramani stopped contacting Johnson in late 2020 following his arrest in the UK "following a lengthy multi-jurisdictional investigation that lasted more than a year".
2023 update
The latest development in Tahirramani's case came in 2023, when a British judge ruled that he could be extradited to the United States to face charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, Variety reported .
The outlet also said Tahirramani planned to appeal, adding that he had reportedly "said he would go on a hunger strike if forced to travel to the United States." According to new Apple TV+ documents, he is still fighting extradition from abroad.
What makes this scam different
Smith has previously produced hit documentaries such as "Tiger King" and "Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened," but even he admits "Hollywood Scam Queens" is "extremely unique."
"Things spiraled in a lot of different directions," he told Primetimer of the elaborate scam. According to notes at the end of the document, the incident affected at least 500 victims and caused an estimated $2 million in losses. "It feels like it's been resolved, but there are still a lot of issues."
