New Delhi
The CBI has filed a chargesheet against 17 individuals, including four Chinese nationals, and 58 companies for allegedly running a transnational cyber crime racket that siphoned off more than ₹1,000 crore through a complex network of shell firms and digital frauds, officials said on Sunday.
The racket was busted in October, after which investigators uncovered a single, well-coordinated syndicate supported by a sophisticated digital and financial infrastructure. The group is accused of operating multiple fraud schemes, including fake loan apps, bogus investment platforms, Ponzi and multi-level marketing models, fraudulent part-time job offers and online gaming scams.
According to the chargesheet, illicit funds were layered through 111 shell companies using mule bank accounts, with around ₹1,000 crore routed through these entities. One account alone reportedly received over ₹152 crore within a short period. The shell firms were created using dummy directors, forged documents, fake addresses and misleading business declarations.
The investigation traced the origins of the network to 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The shell companies were allegedly set up under the direction of four Chinese handlers — Zou Yi, Huan Liu, Weijian Liu and Guanhua Wang — with Indian associates procuring identity documents from unsuspecting individuals.
