Ernakulam Rural: Manoj Srinivasi, aged 33, has been apprehended by the police in connection with a scam involving the fraudulent solicitation of part-time jobs online, resulting in the swindling of lakhs of rupees from residents of Paravur. The arrest took place at Vidyarnapura Swagat Layout Srinilayam in Bangalore. Preliminary investigations, led by Cyber Police under the guidance of Ernakulam Rural District Police Chief Dr. Vaibhav Saxena, reveal that approximately 250 crores have been illicitly obtained from around 45 accounts.
The victims were promised earnings by engaging in part-time work, such as liking YouTube videos, with a return of Rs.1,250 on a Rs.1,000 investment. The fraudulent scheme involved initially exchanging small amounts of money as rewards and profits, gaining the trust of the victims, and subsequently persuading them to invest larger sums. The modus operandi included deceiving individuals into making additional payments under the pretext of GST and other taxes to supposedly secure their profits. Ordinary people unknowingly provided their current accounts, which the accused and their team managed for fraudulent activities. This tactic aimed to shield the gang from exposure in case of an investigation.
The investigation revealed that the fraudulently acquired accounts numbered around 45, with victims being enticed to deposit money for promised jobs. Over 250 crores were traced being transferred through various accounts. The group, believed to operate from China, systematically converted the received funds into cryptocurrency and transmitted them overseas. The accused faces charges from the Bangalore City Cyber Police, and the investigative team from the Ernakulam Rural Cyber Police Station includes Inspector MB Latif, SI PG Anoop, ASI Renil Varghese, and Senior CPOs Vikas Mani, Lijo Jose, and Jerry Kuriakos.
