Cyber Crime
Crypto Conmen Busted: Delhi-Noida Gang Dupes Elderly in US, Canada of Rs 260 Crore
NEW DELHI: In a massive breakthrough, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has exposed a sophisticated cryptocurrency scam that defrauded senior citizens in the United States and Canada of Rs 260 crore.
The scam, orchestrated by three individuals—Tushar Kharbanda, Gaurav Malik, and Ankit Jain—operated through fake call centers in Delhi and Noida. All three accused have been arrested, and the CBI has filed a charge sheet in the case.
According to the CBI, the accused posed as representatives of international law enforcement agencies, Amazon support, Microsoft tech support, and other services to deceive their victims. They managed to collect over 316 Bitcoins in their digital wallets, which were later converted and withdrawn by accomplices in Dubai.
The scam’s mastermind, Tushar Kharbanda, ran the fraudulent operation with the help of Gaurav Malik. Together, they employed over 150 tele-callers to execute their schemes. In one instance, Kharbanda impersonated an officer of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and convinced a victim that their identity was being misused for criminal activities.
Under pressure, the victim transferred over 93,000 Canadian Dollars into cryptocurrency via Bitcoin ATMs, which were linked to the gang’s wallets.
Ankit Jain played a pivotal role in managing the crypto wallets and assisting in converting the stolen Bitcoins into cash.
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The operation came to light after the RCMP shared intelligence with the CBI through the National Central Bureau, which acts as the focal point for Interpol activities in India. During the investigation, the CBI raided the homes and offices of the accused, uncovering digital devices containing scripts for various fraud schemes.
These included impersonations of US Social Security Administration officers and fraudulent interactions with fraud prevention departments. The devices also held credentials of US-based victims, shedding light on the scale and reach of the operation.
The CBI’s action, initiated under the Indian Penal Code and Information Technology Act, underscores its commitment to combating cybercrime and protecting vulnerable individuals from such sophisticated scams.
