A month ago Enforcement Directorate (ED) raided several locations around Kolkata and recovered crores of cash. Later, the Detective Department of Kolkata Police arrested Aamir Khan, the developer of the E-nuggets gaming app from the UP. However, the whole fraud money wasn’t recovered as numerous accounts were used to launder the money.
The Enforcement Directorate reported on 11th November, as a part of the investigation they searched wallet and user IDs that were connected to the Binance crypto exchange.
According to the federal investigation agency, they have frozen 150.22 Bitcoins which are equivalent to Rs 22.82 crore under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). ED mentioned that there were more than 300 accounts/user IDs which were used to launder the money.
ED has carried out search operation on Wallet/User ID in Binance Crypto Exchange leading to freezing of 150.22 Bitcoins equivalent to Rs 22.82 Crore under PMLA, 2002, in respect to an investigation being conducted relating to the Mobile Gamming Application, namely E-nuggets.
— ED (@dir_ed) November 11, 2022
Apart from that, ED has also registered a money laundering case against E-nuggets and its promoters.
After collecting sizeable amount from the public, all of the sudden, the withdrawal from the said App, was stopped, on one pretext or the other. Thereafter, all data including profile information was wiped off from the said App servers.
It was revealed during investigation that multiple accounts (more than 300) were used to launder the money. Proceeds were also used to purchase Crypto currencies.
Enforcement Directorate
Here are the key points of the investigation conducted against Aamir Khan & associates:
- Rs 17.32 Crore cash was found and seized from the residential premises of Aamir Khan.
- 85.91870554 Bitcoins equivalent to USD 16,74,255.7 (Then valued at Rs 13.56 Cr approx as per market exchange rate) found in balance in Binance Exchange was frozen.
- Cryptocurrencies [WRX (utility token of WazirX) and USDT] equivalent to Rs 47.64 Lakhs were frozen in WazirX Accounts.
- The amount of Rs 5.47 Crore as found in the bank account of Aamir Khan and his accomplice have been frozen.
- Cash amounting to Rs 1.65 Crore and 44.5 Bitcoins (then valued at Rs 7.12 Crore) were seized and frozen from the residential premises of Romen Agarwal.
- Romen Agarwal was arrested who is actively involved in inter/intra country transactions related to the transfer of ill-gotten money within & outside the countries received from criminals. He is currently under Judicial Custody.
So far, ED has seized a total of Rs 68.42 crore during investigations under the PMLA.
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