The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), in close coordination with the United States’ Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), has cracked down on a cyber crime network that had been targeting victims abroad since 2022. The masterminds were diverting illegally raised funds in the form of virtual assets and bullion.
A key accused named Vishnu Rathi has been arrested from Mumbai.
The agency registered the case on September 9 against the accused persons, including Mr. Rathi, on the charge that between June and August 2022, they had conspired to target a U.S. citizen by gaining unauthorised remote access to her computer and bank account.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), in close coordination with the United States’ Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), has cracked down on a cyber crime network that had been targeting victims abroad since 2022. The masterminds were diverting illegally raised funds in the form of virtual assets and bullion.
A key accused named Vishnu Rathi has been arrested from Mumbai.
The agency registered the case on September 9 against the accused persons, including Mr. Rathi, on the charge that between June and August 2022, they had conspired to target a U.S. citizen by gaining unauthorised remote access to her computer and bank account.
On the pretext of offering tech-support services, they falsely informed the victim that her bank account had been compromised. Claiming that the funds were at risk, they allegedly manipulated her into transferring $453,953 to cryptocurrency wallets controlled by them.
“Following the registration of the case (as part of Operation Chakra-III), the CBI swiftly conducted extensive searches at multiple locations linked to the accused, yielding substantial incriminating evidence. Searches carried out at seven locations across Mumbai and Kolkata on September 12 and 13 have revealed that this transnational cyber-enabled financial crimes network was channeling proceeds of crime through virtual assets and bullion,” an official said.
During the search on the residential premises of Mr. Rathi, 57 gold bars of 100 gm each, ₹16 lakh in cash, a mobile phone, and one laptop used to manage cryptocurrencies, details of lockers, and some incriminating documents were allegedly seized.
