CBI seized Cryptocurrencies worth 9.3 Lakhs US Dollars; Case registered against accused for duping US citizen

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case against an accused of duping US citizen. It was claimed that the accused was an Indian national who contacted a US Citizen over a phone call via the fake name “James Carlson”, naming himself an official from the Fraud Department of a Multi-National Company and falsely telling the victim that someone had attempted to order a computer using the victim’s account (as available on said MNC).

It was also claimed that the accused misled the victim by claiming that others in four different states had used the victim’s Social Security number to register accounts with the stated MNC.

It was also stated that the accused convinced the victim to withdraw cash from his bank accounts and deposit it in Bitcoin at RockitCoin ATM Wallet, and that he shared a QR code falsely notifying him that the victim’s account had been opened by the US Treasury.

To earn the victim’s faith, the accused also emailed a bogus letter dated 20.09.2022, reportedly issued by the Federal Trade Commission, USA. In response to the inducement, the victim reportedly withdrew US$ 1,30,000 from his bank accounts on various days between 30.08.2022 and 09.09.2022 and placed it in the Bitcoin address provided by the accused.

The accused then fraudulently diverted the funds, robbing the victim to the tune of USD 1,30,000. The information came from the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the United States.

Searches were performed at the accused’s Ahmedabad residence, resulting in the recovery and seizure of cryptocurrencies including such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple, USDT, and others valued around 9.3 lakh US dollars (roughly) from the accused’s crypto wallets, as well as incriminating information.

During searches, the involvement of two other persons, both residents of Ahmedabad have also surfaced. Therefore, searches were also conducted at the premises of said persons which resulted in recovery of mobile phones, laptops containing incriminating material, etc.

Further investigation is going on.