Mumbai Police Arrest Man Linked to International Cyber Fraud Racket Operating from Cambodia

The Gamdevi Police in Mumbai have arrested a man in connection with a major international cyber fraud case. In a striking twist, the accused was initially a victim of the cyber scam network before eventually becoming a part of the same gang. The case is linked to an online investment fraud operated from Cambodia and the laundering of money through hawala channels.

The arrested accused has been identified as 31-year-old Uday Kumar Chaudhary. He was apprehended on February 6 at the Ahmedabad airport while returning to India from Cambodia. Police said a Look Out Circular (LOC) had already been issued against him, following which he was detained at the airport and later brought to Mumbai.

The case dates back to last year, when the Gamdevi Police busted an international cyber fraud syndicate operating from Cambodia. At that time, 12 persons were arrested for cheating Indian citizens on the pretext of online investment schemes. Investigations revealed that the racket was being operated from abroad, with the defrauded money being transferred through hawala channels. Subsequently, a total of 16 accused were identified in the case, of whom two are currently absconding as they are based overseas.

According to the police, the accused lured victims into investing by promising high returns through social media platforms and messaging applications. The money siphoned off from the victims was then routed through hawala networks. All the accused remained in constant touch with each other via Telegram. During a technical analysis of digital evidence, investigators traced Uday Chaudhary’s Telegram account, which helped establish his location and role in the racket.

During interrogation, it emerged that Chaudhary used multiple bank accounts to handle the proceeds of crime. He would withdraw the cheated amount and convert it into cryptocurrency, particularly USDT, before transferring it to Chinese mafia operatives. Police said he played a key role in hawala transactions and had become an important link in the cyber fraud network.

Interestingly, Uday Chaudhary himself was earlier a victim of cyber crime slavery. According to police, he had gone to Cambodia to work as a data operator with a company named HP Pay–Hi Pay. Initially, he became part of the system under coercion, but gradually began working for the Chinese mafia that was running the entire cyber fraud operation.

Chaudhary has claimed that a money laundering case was registered against him in Cambodia and that he paid a fine of around ₹6 lakh to secure his release from the local police. After being released from jail, he returned to India, only to be arrested upon arrival.

Police are currently on the lookout for another accused linked to the international syndicate, who is still absconding. Officials said the investigation is ongoing and more major revelations related to the network are expected in the coming days.