Saffron Investment Scam: 3 Arrested

Bhubaneswar: In a major breakthrough, the Cyber Crime Unit of Odisha’s Crime Branch has apprehended three individuals, including two Nigerian nationals, for allegedly defrauding a Bhubaneswar resident of over Rs 2.5 crore in a sophisticated saffron investment scam.

The accused, identified as Christoper Chizobam alias Chizobam Krist, Nnamdi Stanley Mbamalu alias German (both Nigerian), and Arti Gautam from New Delhi, were arrested in the national capital and are being transported to Bhubaneswar for further interrogation.

The fraudulent operation, meticulously orchestrated by the gang, involved posing as a former IAS officer associated with the World Bank to lure victims into a lucrative saffron supply scheme. The promise of substantial returns from supplying saffron to the World Bank headquarters proved irresistible to the Bhubaneswar-based complainant who fell prey to the elaborate deception.

To facilitate the scam, the gang opened multiple bank accounts, primarily using Arti Gautam’s identity, to channel the ill-gotten gains. Christoper Chizobam, the alleged mastermind, was responsible for managing these accounts and recruiting individuals to withdraw cash from ATMs.

The victim’s complaint triggered a comprehensive investigation by the Odisha Crime Branch, led by Inspector Bibhu Ranjan Sundaray. The diligent sleuths meticulously unravelled the intricate network, leading to the arrests.

Seized during the operation were six mobile phones, two laptops, 10 SIM cards, passbooks of 10 bank accounts, two debit cards, and an Aadhaar card.

A preliminary investigation by the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP) of the Ministry of Home Affairs has revealed that the arrested gang is linked to a series of cyber frauds across India. Their bank accounts have been implicated in approximately 94 cases spanning 10 states.