Latest news with #PottavathiniDeepak
Time of India
4 days ago
- Time of India
How an Italy-returned MBA grad exposed Insta cricket betting scam after losing Rs 50 lakh and a friend
Cyberabad police cracked down on illegal online cricket betting, arresting five influencers who lured Telugu youth to offshore platforms. A whistleblower, an MBA graduate who lost ₹50 lakh and a friend to suicide, investigated the scam. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Betting addiction started with Instagram reel in Italy Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tragedy led to action How the scam works Evidence and arrests In a major crackdown on illegal online cricket betting Cyberabad police in June registered two FIRs and arrested five online influencers for allegedly luring thousands of Telugu youth to offshore betting platforms. The breakthrough came after a 27-year-old MBA graduate from Hyderabad turned whistleblower following his personal loss of over Rs 50 lakh and the death by suicide of a close friend, a TOI report youth, who recently returned from Italy with master's degrees in management and IT, decided to act against the fraudsters after falling victim to the racket himself. He carried out a month-long independent investigation, gathering evidence that led to police action.'It all started in December 2023, when my friend and I came across Instagram reels in Italy showing guaranteed toss-fix for cricket matches,' the whistleblower said. 'I clicked the link and joined the Telegram channel 'The Mars Toss.''Inside the channel, he found one of the accused, Pottavathini Deepak, offering predictions of match outcomes and urging members to place bets through specific offshore websites. The young man said he borrowed money from friends to continue betting.'I had not only invested my own money but even borrowed funds from friends to feed my addiction,' he December 2024, his friend, who had lost ₹60 lakh to betting, died by suicide at his residence in Bhopal. 'Unable to not cope with the losses, manipulation, and lies from influencers, my friend died by suicide,' he by the incident, the Hyderabad resident began investigating the activities of the influencers. He joined their Telegram channels and studied their tactics.'All of them are deceitful. They convince victims that they have access to cricket teams and can fix tosses and matches,' he told whistleblower said the influencers occasionally make correct predictions, which are then used to build credibility. 'Occasionally, some predictions come true leading them to create reels boasting their fabricated successes,' he said. 'They work for various betting sites, receiving fixed monthly payments up to ₹10 lakh depending on their social media and Telegram channel followers. They actively promote betting websites.'To expose them, the youth posed as a betting site representative and gathered personal details of the influencers. He approached Miyapur inspector K Kranthi Kumar, who directed him to the cybercrime wing.'All I want is to prevent more people from falling victim to deceit. They are knowingly cheating lakhs of Telugu youth. I am grateful to Cyberabad police for acting swiftly and arresting some of the fraudsters,' he confirmed the youth's role in the investigation. 'He played a proactive role in identifying the accused and bringing their details to our notice,' a senior official May 2025, the whistleblower had stopped betting after losing a total of ₹50 lakh.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Time of India
Scam victim turns whistleblower: Hyderabad MBA graduate ends influencers' 'betting' innings; helps cops bust racket after losing Rs 50 lakh, friend to suicide
Hyderabad MBA graduate exposed an online cricket betting scam after losing a significant amount of money and his friend to suicide HYDERABAD: After losing over Rs 50 lakh and a close friend, an MBA graduate from Hyderabad has turned whistleblower helping cops' crackdown on online cricket betting. In June, the Cyberabad police filed two FIRs and arrested five online influencers for allegedly luring thousands of Telugu youth to sites promoting this illegal trade. The FIRs were lodged based on a month-long investigation carried out by the 27-year-old who recently returned to the city from Italy. He has two master's degrees — in management and IT — and decided to take on the fraudsters after he himself fell prey to the menace. His friend, who lost Rs 60 lakh to betting, died by suicide. You Can Also Check: Hyderabad AQI | Weather in Hyderabad | Bank Holidays in Hyderabad | Public Holidays in Hyderabad 'I had not only invested my own money but even borrowed funds from friends to feed my addiction,' said the whistleblower sharing how it all started in Dec 2023 when he and a friend, while browsing Instagram reels in Italy, came across advertisements offering a 'guaranteed toss-fix' for cricket matches. 'I clicked the link and joined the Telegram channel 'The Mars Toss,' he said. There he found one of the accused, Pottavathini Deepak, offering cricket match outcomes and encouraging members to place bets through offshore websites recommended by him. 'Unable to not cope with the losses, manipulation, and lies from influencers, my friend died by suicide at his residence in Bhopal in Dec 2024,' the whistleblower said. Shaken, the Hyderabad youth started investigating the influencers' activities. He joined their Tele g ram channels and identified patterns. 'All of them are deceitful. They convince victims that they have access to cricket teams and can fix tosses and matches,' the whistleblower told TOI. He added: 'Occasionally, some predictions come true leading them to create reels boasting their fabricated successes. They work for various betting sites, receiving fixed monthly payments up to Rs 10 lakh depending on their social media and Telegram channel followers. They actively promote betting websites.' Posing as a representative of betting sites, he contacted influencers and obtained their personal details. With this evidence, he approached Miyapur inspector K Kranthi Kumar in June who directed him to cybercrime police. 'All I want is to prevent more people from falling victim to deceit. They are knowingly cheating lakhs of Telugu youth. I am grateful to Cyberabad police for acting swiftly and arresting some of the fraudsters,' the young man told TOI. 'He played a proactive role in identifying the accused and bringing their details to our notice,' said a senior police official. A few initial bets were successful, so I continued and started investing more and more money. By May 2025, when I placed the last bets, I had lost over lakh
Hans India
25-06-2025
- Hans India
Cyberabad cops blow lid off betting syndicate; 4 held, 10 websites shut
Hyderabad: The Cyberabad Police Commissionerate has successfully dismantled a sophisticated online betting syndicate that operated through Telegram influencers, unauthorised betting websites and mule accounts. Police have arrested four individuals involved in the operation and subsequently shut down ten betting websites. The arrested individuals, identified as primary influencers, are: Chinnamsetti Naga Rakesh, who managed Telegram channels 'ICC Cricket Reports' and 'ICC Toss' along with websites such as and amassing 60,000 followers and earning Rs 1.7 crore; Pottavathini Deepak, who operated 'The Mars Toss,' 'The Mars Line,' and 'Magical Mars,' earning Rs 55 lakh; Guguloth Sri Ram Naik, who ran 'Sahara,' 'Sahara Toss,' and 'Telugu Toss Line,' accumulating Rs 30 lakh; and Hemanth Kumar, who operated 'ICC Cricket Ground Report' and 'Balaji Cricket Analyst' on earning Rs 20 lakh. According to police, this network systematically deceived young people with false promises of match-fixing tips and employed aggressive social media campaigns to lure millions into illegal gambling platforms. Online betting is prohibited in Telangana state under the TS Gaming Act – 2017. Police reported that on June 13, a complaint was received from a Miyapur resident who had been defrauded through 'guaranteed TOSS FIX predictions' on Telegram channels. The complainant and a friend lost Rs 50 lakh and Rs 60 lakh respectively. Following the complaint, the Cyberabad Cyber Crime Police Station (CCPS) formed four specialised teams. The police identified and subsequently shut down the illegal websites: and The Cyber Crime police stated that the accused created private Telegram groups offering 'exclusive insider tips,' claiming access to 'fixed matches' and 'guaranteed predictions.' They reportedly used emotional manipulation and FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) tactics. The operation involved account creation, fund deposits, money laundering, and a payout and 'frustration loop,' all supported by a commission structure. 'The influencers earned a 1-3% commission per rupee bet, along with additional monthly retainers based on follower count and regional influence. Total influencer earnings ranged from Rs 25 lakh to Rs 80 lakh,' explained B Sai Sri, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Special Branch, Cybercrimes. The DCP highlighted the severe consequences for victims, which often include suicide and depression. Entire life savings are frequently exhausted within weeks, many individuals become trapped in serious debt, and affected families face severe mental health crises.
The Hindu
24-06-2025
- The Hindu
Four held in online betting scam
The Cyberabad police arrested four key individuals behind an online betting syndicate that operated through Telegram channels, unauthorised betting websites and mule accounts. The network, which preyed largely on youth, promised 'guaranteed toss predictions' and 'exclusive insider tips ' to lure victims into illegal platforms. The accused were identified as Chinnamsetti Naga Rakesh, Pottavathini Deepak, Guguloth Sri Ram Naik, and Hemanth Kumar, who collectively ran over a dozen Telegram channels with tens of thousands of followers. The police said they promoted betting through some websites, earning commissions ranging from ₹20 lakh to over ₹1.7 crore. The arrests followed a complaint lodged by a Miyapur resident who, along with a friend, lost over ₹1.1 crore on Telegram betting groups offering fixed match tips. Based on this complaint, four teams from the Cyber Crime wing launched coordinated operations across cities and arrested the accused on Tuesday. According to police, these 'influencers' acted as regional anchors for the syndicate, targeting users from Telugu-speaking States with carefully curated content and social media manipulation and have been in operation since 2019. They shared APK files to bypass Google Play Store restrictions and shared vanity URLs in private groups to recruit new users. In some cases, users registered via referral codes from influencers. Once registered, users were encouraged to deposit funds via UPI, IMPS, and NEFT into accounts opened with forged Aadhaar and PAN details. These mule accounts were rotated frequently to dodge financial scrutiny and Know Your Customer (KYC) regulations. The 'influencers' made between ₹25 lakh to ₹80 lakh, including 1-3% commission per rupee bet and additional monthly income based on follower count and regional influence. Investigations revealed that while small winnings were occasionally paid out to maintain trust, high-value withdrawals were deliberately blocked, pushing many victims into repeated losses and severe debt. The funds were then laundered through layered transfers, with some amounts converted into cryptocurrency. The police seized 10 mobile phones, two laptops, five ATM cards, nine passbooks, and other documents during the raid. A list of at least ten illegal websites has been compiled, and the take down processes has been initiated. Cyberabad Cyber Crimes DCP B. Sai Sri said that several victims have experienced depression, mental health crises and suicidal tendencies. In many cases, families lost their entire savings within weeks of joining these platforms. The official said that further investigation is underway to prosecute all facilitators, track offshore operators and their Indian collaborators, and freeze associated bank accounts.
New Indian Express
15-06-2025
- New Indian Express
Student loses Rs 50 lakh to online betting scam
According to the complainant, on December 6, 2023, while browsing Instagram reels with a friend, the complainant came across an ad offering 'guaranteed toss-fix' predictions. It led to a Telegram channel named 'THE MARS TOSS', reportedly operated by a man identifying himself as Pottavathini Deepak from Korutla in Jagtial district. Deepak allegedly lured users by sharing manipulated screenshots of supposed winnings and promising fixed match outcomes. The student said he initially received two correct predictions, likely staged to gain trust, after which he and his friend began transferring money to place bets through offshore sites. However, within 10 days, subsequent predictions failed. Both were misled into joining other private groups running similar scams. The student alleged that these groups operated with a common strategy: promoting false claims of fixed matches, encouraging monetary transfers and profiting through deception. He told the police that the operators masked their identities using private, invite-only groups and continued to promote illegal betting, despite repeated flags and takedowns of their channels. Their persistent activity, he said, indicated deliberate intent, coordinated conspiracy and full awareness of the illegality of their operations.
