In a major breakthrough, a 31-year-old man from Ahilyanagar has been arrested for allegedly duping a woman from the United States in an online scam amounting to ₹14 crore. The arrest was carried out on Wednesday by the State Crime Investigation Department (CID) of Andhra Pradesh, with assistance from the Tophkhana Police in Ahilyanagar.
The accused has been identified as Abhijit Sanjay Waghmare. According to officials, a case was initially registered at the Mangalagiri Police Station in Andhra Pradesh after the victim, a U.S. citizen with family ties to the state, reported the fraud. Investigations revealed that the scam was executed using cryptocurrency transactions, a growing trend in online financial crimes.
During the probe, authorities discovered that a sum of ₹14.18 crore had been deposited into Waghmare's bank account, confirming his involvement in the cyber fraud. This led to the formation of a special CID team from Andhra Pradesh, which traced Waghmare to Ahilyanagar. Upon coordinating with local police and Inspector Anand Kokare, the accused was arrested just as he was preparing to flee.
This arrest marks the fourth in the ongoing investigation, as three other individuals had already been apprehended in connection with the same case.
Report Cybercrime:
Authorities urge citizens to remain vigilant against online scams, especially those involving cryptocurrency. Anyone who falls victim to cyber fraud or suspects suspicious online activity can report it to the Cyber Crime Helpline at 1930 or register a complaint online at the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal: www.cybercrime.gov.in. Prompt reporting can help authorities take swift action and prevent further financial loss.