Scammers robbed US nationals of $ 8.5 million, CBI dismantles network

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), based on inputs from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), USA, has dismantled a sophisticated virtual asset supported cyber-crime network that has been targeting US nationals since 2022. During the period 2022-2025, the accused individuals operating under pseudonymous identities of US Government officials from Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Social Security Administration (SSA), conspired to target US victims by threatening them that their Social Security Numbers (SSN) had been used for money laundering and drug deliveries and that all of their assets would be freezed. Claiming that their funds were at risk, the accused persons manipulated the victims into transferring USD 8.5 Million to cryptocurrency wallets and foreign bank accounts controlled by them. 
CBI registered the case on December 9, 2025 and launched investigation. CBI swiftly conducted extensive searches at multiple locations in Delhi, Noida and Kolkata, linked to the accused persons, yielding substantial incriminating evidence. The agency intercepted 06 persons engaged in ongoing criminal activities, red-handed, in an illegal call centre being operated by the accused persons, at Noida, Uttar Pradesh and dismantled the same. CBI has arrested six key accused persons in the case. They are-Shubham Singh @ Domnic, Daltanlian @ Michael, George T. Zamlianlal @ Miles, 
 L. Seiminlen Haokip @ Ronny, Mangkholun @ Maxy and  Robert Thangkhankhual @ David @ Munroin.
During searches conducted by CBI on December 10 and 11, 2025, it has been revealed that this transnational cyber-enabled financial crime network was channelling the proceeds of crime through virtual assets and bank transfers. Searches conducted at premises of the illegal call centre and the accused persons led to recovery of cash amount of Rs.1.88 Crores, 34 electronic devices viz. mobile phones, laptops, pen drives, hard disks and incriminating documents pertaining to crime.  
As part of OPERATION CHAKRA, CBI is rapidly identifying and taking action on the organized technology enabled crime network in close coordination with INTERPOL and foreign law enforcement agencies.  The operation has resulted in significant disruption and dismantling of major transnational cyber-enabled financial crime network. 

(Freelance Journalist)