Cybercrime gang which duped people of Rs 350 crore busted, police freeze Rs 240 crore

BENGALURU: The Hulimavu police have busted a cybercrime gang involved in a Rs 350 crore investment fraud. The gang, comprising 12 members, had duped people across multiple states in India.

The police have frozen Rs 240 crore in around 9,000 bank accounts linked to the gang. The accused are from different states, with two from Karnataka, and were operating from Dubai. The gang had targeted people across India, using investment fraud and gaming apps to scam them.

The police have shared information with all state police stations, urging people to come forward if they’ve been affected. The accused have been taken into custody, and police from over 10 states have applied for body warrants to interrogate them.

The massive cybercrime network involved investment fraud and gaming app scams. The gang created WhatsApp groups and added unsuspecting victims, sending links to download the Neo System app, promising high returns. Victims invested money, which was transferred to fake bank accounts. The app showed fake profits, but when victims tried to withdraw, they were scammed.

The police investigation revealed that the gang used mule accounts to launder money and operated a call centre in Delhi, targeting people across India. The mastermind, Prem Nathaneja, was operating from Dubai. The police have arrested 11 accused, including Huzaifa and his mother Shabana.

The seized items include 58 mobiles, 242 debit cards, 7 laptops, Rs 4.89 lakh cash, 530 grams of gold, and luxury watches. The gang had transferred Rs 75 crore through 4,500 fake bank accounts. Further investigation led to the discovery of another gaming app, which was also involved in the scam.

The other accused are Vishwaraj, Kushal, Pradeep, Ajit, Ajay, Abhishek, Akash, Satyam, Pitambar, and Ankit. The police have registered a case and are investigating further. The operation was led by DCP Sridevi, ACP Harish, and Inspector Shilpa, with assistance from the Cyber Crime police station.