Seven aspiring migrants claim they paid up to Nu 220,000 each after being promised travel and employment opportunities in America
Seven Bhutanese women who say they were allegedly duped into paying hundreds of thousands of ngultrum for promised migration and employment opportunities in the United States (US) are appealing to the public to be extremely cautious of individuals offering overseas jobs or migration assistance without verifiable credentials.
The women allege that a Bhutanese woman, identified as Tashi Lhamo, reportedly from Paro and believed to be living in the US, collected money from aspiring migrants after assuring them that she could facilitate their travel and employment in America.
At least seven people are believed to have paid money under the arrangement, with some reportedly handing over Nu 200,000 each and others Nu 220,000.
The alleged victims say that more than a year after making the payments, they have neither traveled to the US nor received any substantive evidence that the promised arrangements were being processed. They also claim that their repeated attempts to recover their money or obtain an explanation have gone unanswered.
The matter has now been reported to the Royal Bhutan Police, with complaints lodged in both Paro and Thimphu.
The women say they came forward not only to seek legal action and recover their money, but also to warn others who may be vulnerable to similar offers.
According to the complainants, they were introduced to Tashi Lhamo through relatives sometime in 2024. Conversations about opportunities to travel to the US reportedly began in early 2025.
The woman allegedly created a group chat with prospective applicants and began communicating with them about the purported migration process. The applicants were asked to provide personal information and make payments towards what they understood to be processing and other related arrangements.
On February 22, 2025, three of the women—Kuenga Lham, Deki Tshomo and Chencho Lham—allegedly paid Nu 200,000 each. Other applicants reportedly paid Nu 220,000 each.
The women said they made the payments because they believed the person making the offer had the knowledge, connections and ability to facilitate their travel and employment in the US.
For some, the money was not readily available.
The alleged victims said they borrowed money, including through bank loans, because they believed that securing employment in the US would eventually allow them to repay the debt and improve their financial circumstances.
Instead, they say, they have been left with debt, uncertainty and unanswered questions.
Initially, according to the women, communication with Tashi Lhamo was regular. However, as time passed, they say responses became increasingly infrequent.
Eventually, they allege, their calls and messages were no longer answered.
“Despite our repeated attempts to contact her through phone calls on WhatsApp and messages regarding the money paid and the promised arrangements, she has deliberately failed to respond or provide any explanation,” the group said.
The women further allege that they were blocked on social media platforms.
They said they subsequently attempted to contact her through other accounts and platforms but were unable to establish communication.
The complainants said they were neither given meaningful updates about the purported migration process nor refunded the money they had paid.
They identified an older Facebook account reportedly bearing the name Tashi Lhamo Rinzin (Tashi) and said they had also come across another account using the name Tashi Tashi.
Business Bhutan has not independently verified the ownership or authenticity of these social media accounts.
The complainants said they initially had little reason to doubt the arrangement.
Some had been introduced to Tashi Lhamo through relatives, which gave them a degree of confidence. They also claimed that they had heard she had previously helped Bhutanese travel to the US, including people connected with the entertainment sector.
These circumstances, they said, made the offer appear credible.
However, the absence of progress, followed by the alleged breakdown in communication, eventually raised serious concerns among the applicants.
“We trusted her because she was introduced through people we knew and because we believed she had experience in helping Bhutanese go to the US,” one of the complainants said.
The women now believe others could potentially have been approached in a similar manner.
A relative of one alleged victim told Business Bhutan that Tashi Lhamo may have collected money from other individuals through separate groups. This claim has not been independently verified.
The complainants therefore want authorities to establish whether the case involves only the seven individuals who have come forward or whether there may be other people who have also allegedly paid money.
The alleged victims said they brought the matter to the attention of the Royal Bhutan Police in June this year and are seeking a formal investigation and appropriate legal action.
Of the seven people involved, one complainant has reportedly lodged a complaint with Paro Police, while another has filed a complaint with Thimphu Police. The group said two others have so far been unable to formally come forward.
The complainants are asking the authorities to investigate the circumstances surrounding the payments, establish what happened to the money and determine whether any offence has been committed.
They also want the authorities to establish whether other people may have been affected.
“Our intention is not to make unverified accusations, but to ensure that the matter is properly investigated and that the public remains informed and cautious,” the women said.
Police are reportedly looking into the complaints and attempting to trace the individual named by the complainants.
The investigation could involve examination of relevant financial transactions, bank records, communications and other evidence, depending on the direction of the investigation.
The alleged victims are now urging Bhutanese considering overseas employment or migration to exercise extreme caution before handing money to individuals claiming to have access to foreign employers, immigration agents or migration pathways.
They said people should verify whether an individual or agency is legally authorised to provide the service, independently confirm employment offers and immigration arrangements, demand proper documentation and avoid making substantial payments based solely on personal recommendations or promises.
The case also highlights the risks faced by people who rely heavily on informal networks when seeking opportunities abroad.
For the women involved, what began as an opportunity to build a better future has instead become a prolonged struggle to recover money they say they can ill afford to lose.
They now hope that their experience will serve as a warning to others.
“If someone approaches you with promises of taking you abroad or finding you a job, please verify everything before paying,” the group said.
Business Bhutan made several attempts to contact Tashi Lhamo through available channels to seek her response to the allegations, but was unable to reach her.
The allegations remain unproven unless established through investigation and due legal process.
The police investigation is expected to determine the facts, including whether the money was collected for legitimate migration-related services, what arrangements, if any, were made, and whether any criminal offence occurred.
Sangay Rabten, Thimphu
