The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) of India has arrested three individuals from Delhi and Noida for allegedly orchestrating a complex scam. The scheme targeted senior citizens in the United States and Canada, collecting cryptocurrency worth Rs 260 crore (approximately $30.6 million).
Arrest and Scheme Details
CBI made these arrests on Friday, revealing a sophisticated cryptocurrency scam. The scammers operated fake call centers in Delhi and Noida, posing as representatives from foreign law enforcement agencies, Amazon support, Microsoft tech support, and other services to target the victims.
Participants and Their Role
According to CBI, the scam was orchestrated by Tushar Kharbanda, Gaurav Malik, and Ankit Jain. Jain played a crucial role in managing the crypto wallets and converting the stolen Bitcoins into cash. They managed to collect over 316 Bitcoins, which were later converted and withdrawn by their partner in Dubai.
Methods and Consequences
CBI reported that the scammers had employed over 150 tele-callers to execute their schemes. In one instance, Kharbanda acted as an officer of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and convinced victims that their identity was being misused for criminal activities. Pressured, the victims transferred over 93,000 Canadian Dollars into cryptocurrency via Bitcoin ATMs linked to the gang’s wallets.
During the investigation, CBI raided the residential and official premises of the suspects and seized digital devices revealing scripts for several fraud schemes.
CBI said the action was initiated based on information provided by the RCMP through the National Central Bureau, a focal point for all Interpol activities, enabling effective information exchange to combat such international crimes.
