In a major breakthrough, the South Cyber Region Police have arrested Mohammad Arif Yusuf Khan, a 50-year-old man from Dongri, in connection with a Rs 5.39 crore online investment fraud targeting a woman in South Mumbai.
Khan, who allegedly facilitated the scam, provided his bank account to cyber fraudsters, through which Rs 11 lakh of the scammed money was routed. The police found that Khan had a criminal past, having been arrested previously in 2017 for drug-related offences by the Ghatkopar Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC). Since then, Khan reportedly began assisting cybercriminals by renting out bank accounts opened under outdated addresses in exchange for hefty commissions.
The victim, who was targeted between July 27, 2024, and February 12, 2025, was lured by the promise of high returns on investments via the ‘Topface’ app and WhatsApp. The fraudsters convinced her to transfer Rs 5.39 crore through multiple transactions. Upon investigation, the cyber officials traced one of the recipient accounts to Khan, revealing that the funds were withdrawn using checks and ATMs.
Khan was arrested after police matched the transaction records to his account. In a separate investigation, the North Cyber Cell arrested three other individuals involved in a similar scheme, scamming a man of Rs 2.85 crore under the guise of stock market investments. This case was registered in March of the previous year.
