The cyber crime cell of Balrampur Police has uncovered a major inter-state fraud involving illegal online gaming and loan apps, arresting three members operating across Uttar Pradesh.
The accused—Rahul Mishra from Amethi, Nirmal Kumar from Bahora in Farrukhabad, and Dharmendra Singh from Auraiya—were apprehended in Lucknow on Monday. Police seized three Android smartphones containing details of 85 bank accounts, 31 of which showed suspicious transactions totaling Rs 60.24 crore.
According to SP Vikash Kumar, seven arrests have been made so far, with investigations revealing financial transactions worth Rs 112 crore. Part of the proceeds was reportedly sent to Pakistan via cryptocurrency transfers.
The gang operated through illegal betting and gaming apps such as Superpay, Bropay, Sarkpay, Avitor, and Teenpatti, luring victims via Telegram and WhatsApp groups with promises of easy earnings. Victims were trapped in betting scams, with funds routed through multiple “mule” accounts rented for commission, converted into crypto, and transferred abroad.
Additionally, the syndicate ran fraudulent loan apps that disbursed small amounts but charged exorbitant interest, pressuring borrowers into paying large sums. Seized phones contained data from Telegram groups, WhatsApp chats, bank accounts, and crypto wallets linked to the fraud. Police are coordinating with crypto exchanges to trace wallet-to-wallet transactions and identify international operators involved.
