₹58 Crore Digital Arrest Scam: Cyber Trail Leads to China, Hong Kong & Indonesia

• Mumbai businessman duped of ₹58 crore by fraudsters posing as CBI, ED officials.
• Funds routed abroad via crypto wallets and commission-based accounts.
• Cyber probe reveals links to China, Hong Kong, and Indonesia.
• Officials estimate over ₹2,000 crore siphoned nationwide through similar scams.

GG News Bureau
Mumbai, 12th Nov: The Maharashtra Cyber Department has unearthed an international cybercrime network behind the ₹58 crore digital arrest scam, with links stretching to China, Hong Kong, and Indonesia, officials confirmed on Tuesday.

In one of India’s biggest cyber frauds, scammers posed as Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) officers to extort ₹58 crore from a Mumbai-based businessman between August 19 and October 8 this year. The victim was coerced through a video call under the guise of an ongoing probe.

Investigations revealed that the money was laundered via cryptocurrency wallets and routed through several commission-based bank accounts. The entire operation was managed abroad using crypto exchanges to mask the flow of funds.

Officials said the scam is part of a wider international racket that has been targeting Indian citizens for over a year. “Such digital arrest cases have collectively generated over ₹2,000 crore through intimidation and crypto manipulation,” an officer said.

In these scams, criminals impersonate government or law enforcement officials, hold victims ‘virtually hostage’ during prolonged video calls, and pressure them to transfer money to avoid fabricated legal trouble.

The Maharashtra Cyber Department, acting as the state’s nodal agency for cybersecurity, continues to trace the money trail and is coordinating with national and international authorities to crack down on the network.