Enforcement Directorate continues crackdown on bitcoin fraud, attaches properties linked to late suspect Amit Bhardwaj
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has temporarily attached commercial properties worth Rs 10.6 crore in Dubai as part of its ongoing money laundering probe into the Rs 6,600 crore bitcoin scam. The assets belonged to the late bitcoin fraud suspect Amit Bhardwaj, and ED has requested Dubai authorities to block any transactions involving these properties, reported timesofindia.indiatimes.com.
ED has seized assets worth Rs 172 crore so far in connection with the bitcoin scam
Earlier, ED had attached a Juhu residence, a bungalow in Pune, and equity shares worth approximately Rs 100 crore linked to actress Shilpa Shetty and her husband, Raj Kundra. Allegations suggest that Kundra received 285 bitcoins—valued at Rs 150 crore—from Amit Bhardwaj to establish a bitcoin mining operation in Ukraine.
Bitcoin Scam Investigation: Key Developments
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ED has seized assets worth Rs 172 crore in the probe so far
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In 2023, the agency arrested Simpy Bhardwaj, Nitin Gaur, and Nikhil Mahajan
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Following Amit Bhardwaj’s death in 2022, ED identified Ajay Bhardwaj as a key orchestrator; he remains absconding
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The probe originated from multiple police complaints in Maharashtra and Delhi
The accused allegedly collected bitcoins worth Rs 6,600 crore in 2017, promising investors a 10% monthly return. The bitcoins were intended for mining operations but were instead concealed in hidden online wallets, defrauding investors on a massive scale.
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