Keshari, a 40-year-old resident of Dwarka, Delhi, originally from Malda in West Bengal, has been arrested in Lucknow for allegedly defrauding thousands of investors in a Rs150 crore cryptocurrency scam. He was apprehended near Gol Chauraha, close to HCL IT City, with police seizing several items including a laptop, mobile phone, passport, PAN card, Aadhaar card, and other crucial documents.
Keshari raised funds from investors by promoting a cryptocurrency called Ruby Coin, presenting forged licenses from various global virtual currency exchanges to lend legitimacy to his operations. DySP (STF) DK Singh revealed that Keshari assured investors their capital was secure and promised substantial returns, with withdrawals permitted after three years, coupled with complimentary tour packages as incentives.
However, over time, investors found their balances disappearing, and when they inquired, Keshari offered excuses about server updates and payment delays. His operations included a fake coin exchange named CTS Cola, falsely headquartered in Dubai but managed locally by Keshari via his own server. The Ruby Coin website displayed fictitious account balances with no real exchange system backing it.
During interrogation, it was uncovered that Keshari previously worked for Angela Agrotech in Kolkata before serving time in Durg, Madhya Pradesh, for fraud in 2016. After his release, he relocated to Raipur, Chhattisgarh, where he launched Ruby Coin and expanded his fraudulent activities. Keshari had planned to flee to Dubai by converting stolen funds into cryptocurrency but was apprehended before he could execute his escape.