New Delhi —He wanted fame, and he found it — though not in the way he imagined. Hukum Singh Rawat, a 19-year-old lifestyle content creator from Lucknow, had built a modest online following by showcasing replica fashion, soft lights, and cinematic poses. But his pursuit of a larger digital empire would take him down a darker path — one that ended in handcuffs.
From Ring Lights to Fraud Rings
Rawat was not a typical college student. A self-styled influencer with over 500,000 followers across YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook, he had turned his bedroom into a studio, complete with ring lights and imitation luxury apparel. His ambitions, according to police officials, extended beyond content creation.
“He intended to hire artists and buy equipment to bolster his influencer career. But he needed money for that,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Nidhin Valsan.
When sponsorships didn’t come, Rawat allegedly turned to another source of income — cybercrime. Investigators say he began renting out his bank accounts to online fraudsters for a commission, charging 4–5 percent per transaction.
He wasn’t alone. Two others, Alok Kumar and Aditya Shukla, both from Uttar Pradesh, were part of the same racket. Kumar, a 32-year-old former e-rickshaw driver turned “property dealer,” opened two current accounts and sold them for a small cut. Shukla, 22, opened six accounts, earning commissions between three and four percent.
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The Scam Network Unravels
The Delhi Police’s cybercrime unit began piecing together the operation after two unrelated complaints reached the National Cyber Crime Reporting portal.
In one case, Smita Verma, a 28-year-old from Delhi, was duped in a “work-from-home” scam. Contacted via Telegram with offers to rate hotels for small payments — ₹150, then ₹90 — she was soon persuaded to invest in “prepaid tasks,” losing ₹31,800.
In another, Dalip Kumar, a farmer, lost ₹1.81 lakh to a scammer posing as an Army officer selling a tractor on Facebook Marketplace. The fraudster extracted money in installments under the guise of booking fees and transport charges.
“Using advanced technical analysis and financial transaction mapping, we traced the money trail to Lucknow,” said DCP Valsan. Between October 7 and 14, police arrested three suspects, including Rawat.
Inside the “Mule Account” Economy
What investigators uncovered was a sophisticated chain of money mules — individuals who open or sell their bank accounts for use in laundering illicit funds. Rawat’s accounts allegedly became conduits for the proceeds of scams executed across states.
“Rawat not only opened his own bank accounts but also influenced some friends to do the same and shared their details with a person named Rahul,” Valsan said.
Rahul, identified as a key associate, remains absconding. According to the police, the accused sold accounts through encrypted messaging platforms, where brokers matched mule accounts with fraud syndicates operating from various parts of India and beyond.
A Digital Dream Gone Awry
Rawat’s story, investigators note, captures a troubling convergence of India’s growing influencer economy and its rising cybercrime ecosystem. For many young aspirants, digital fame promises a livelihood; for some, it also blurs moral lines. Police say Rawat saw his account sales as a “side hustle” to fund his creative ambitions. “He had a good following and wanted to expand, but easy money proved too tempting,” said an investigator.
