Key offender in matrimonial crypto-currency fraud held at Chennai airport

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The Hyderabad Cyber Crime Police person apprehended a cardinal accused successful a matrimonial and concern fraud lawsuit astatine Chennai airdrome connected February 24 aft helium arrived from Cambodia.

The accused, Pedapudi Prasanna Kumar, 32, a autochthonal of Visakhapatnam, is linked to a lawsuit registered successful 2025 nether provisions of the Information Technology Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita astatine the Cyber Crime Police Station, successful Hyderabad.

According to the police, the lawsuit relates to a ailment filed by a 28-year-old antheral from Hyderabad who was allegedly cheated of ₹11,17,834. The unfortunate stated that connected October 23, 2025, helium was contacted connected WhatsApp by a pistillate identifying herself arsenic Anjali Kandula, whom helium had connected with done a matrimonial platform. She claimed to beryllium moving successful the United Kingdom arsenic an Azure DevOps technologist and gradually gained his spot by expressing involvement successful a semipermanent relationship.

Later, realising that helium had been cheated, helium lodged a ailment done the 1930 cybercrime helpline and subsequently approached the Cyber Crime Police Station.

During investigation, constabulary identified Pedapudi Prasanna Kumar arsenic the alleged mastermind. On interrogation, helium reportedly stated that successful April 2024 helium had approached a occupation advisor successful Visakhapatnam with the volition of securing overseas employment and travelled to Cambodia connected the committedness of a data-based job. After reaching Cambodia, helium allegedly came successful interaction with organised cyber fraud operators targeting Indian nationals done societal media and matrimonial platforms.

Police said helium underwent grooming successful executing cryptocurrency and forex-related frauds and aboriginal joined the network. He is alleged to person procured astir 400 to 500 SIM cards done section contacts successful Visakhapatnam, who had been arrested earlier, and utilized them to make aggregate fake societal media and matrimonial profiles. By impersonating women professionals and non-resident Indians, the accused and his associates allegedly built affectional relationships with victims earlier directing them to put successful fraudulent trading websites promising precocious returns and matrimony alliances.

The modus operandi involved persuading victims to put tiny amounts initially, displaying fabricated nett statements and past inducing them to transportation larger sums. Communication would past beryllium blocked oregon further payments demanded connected the pretext of taxes, processing charges oregon relationship upgrades.

Two mobile phones were seized from the accused. He was produced earlier the tribunal pursuing arrest. Further probe is nether mode to place different associates, including section facilitators and imaginable planetary links, hint the wealth way and effort betterment of the cheated amount.

Published - February 27, 2026 07:32 p.m. IST

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