Rs 100 Crore Cyber Heist Busted, Delhi Cyber Crime Branch Arrests Four Masterminds

New Delhi: The Cyber Cell of the Delhi Crime Branch has successfully dismantled a sophisticated interstate cyber financial fraud syndicate, arresting four key accused involved in a massive investment scam that duped people across multiple states of over Rs 100 crore through fake trading platforms. The case was registered by the Delhi Crime Branch based on a complaint filed by a businessman who was cheated of Rs 48.35 lakh via a fake online investment website. 

As per the police, the complainant was initially approached via Facebook Messenger by a woman who later moved communication to WhatsApp and induced him to invest.

According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP, Crime Branch) Aditya Gautam stated that the accused used a network of mule bank accounts opened in the names of financially vulnerable persons to route and withdraw the cheated money. They operated through multiple fake bank accounts, shell companies, and trading websites, making it challenging for authorities to track the digital trails.

The investigation, led by Inspector Sandeep Singh of the Cyber Cell Crime Branch, involved continuous analysis of financial trails and digital footprints. A team of skilled technical experts, including Head Constable Akshay Solanki, played a crucial role in navigating the digital evidence and identifying the accused.

Four accused, Sunny Mishra (22), Kuldeep Kumar (25), Gaurav (20), and Sumit Pradhan (27), were arrested in Punjab's Ludhiana on July 16. The accused were found to be involved in a large-scale cybercrime operation, with multiple bank accounts and shell companies linked to the fraud.

The investigation revealed that the accused were involved in over 30 cybercrime complaints across India, with a combined fraud amount exceeding Rs 100 crores. The bank accounts linked to the accused network have been found to be involved in various types of cybercrimes, including digital arrest, phishing, and investment fraud.

During the investigation, the police revealed that over 23 bank accounts linked with the accused network have been unearthed. Further, the WhatsApp data of the accused has revealed 24 more suspicious mule accounts, which are being verified.
The police also disclosed that many of the bank accounts were found to be linked with trading websites and used for layering and cash withdrawals.