NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday said it has conducted raids at 11 locations across Delhi and Haryana on Friday as part of its investigation into a crypto fraud case leading to the seizure of Rs 1.08 crore in cash, foreign currency and gold.According to a senior CBI official the agency raided nine locations in Delhi and two at Hisar in Haryana, as part of the investigation into a two-year-old case. The agency’s search operations formed part of a larger effort to counter cybercrime, particularly those cases involving cryptocurrency fraud, he said.“The accused individuals were allegedly involved in a complex scheme, impersonating government officials to deceive people. These criminals engaged in fraudulent activities, including offering fake technical support consultations, to trick victims into transferring money via cryptocurrency,” the official said.The investigation revealed that the perpetrators were targeting both Indian and international victims, coercing them into transferring funds in cryptocurrency, the official said, adding that the money was then routed through several crypto wallets before being converted into cash.During the searches, the CBI sleuths found several pieces of digital evidence, including six laptops, eight mobile phones, and one iPad. The investigators also discovered that the suspects had used computer programmess for making VoIP-based calls and accessing the darknet, he said.In addition to the cash, the CBI seized foreign currency worth USD 1,000 and 252 grams of gold.“The CBI has already filed a charge sheet in the case against three accused persons under Sections 120B read with 420 and 384 IPC, along with Section 66D of the IT Act, 2000,” the official said.
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