Odisha EOW busts online football betting by arresting master scammer

An online football betting racket allegedly operating by scammers from China and Dubai was busted, and the ringleader was apprehended by Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Odisha Crime branch.

The scammers stretch its hands in different states, including Odisha. They have two of their Indian agents from Howrah in West Bengal .

The accused who was identified as Rustam Khan and Md Hakim, both directors of a Kolkata-based shell company has been booked under Sections 420, 467, 468, 471, and 120-B of the IPC and Sections 4, 5, and 6 of  Prize Chits and Money Circulation Schemes (Banning) Act, Section 6 of Odisha Protection of Interest of Depositors Act and Section 66(D) of the IT Act, in a case by EOW, Bhubaneswar.

According to the sources, they were duping lakhs of investors through 18 football. com with a motive to earn quick money. 18football.com is a hybrid model of fraud where Ponzi scheme (Multilevel Marketing) is run online giving a name of football betting and gaming application.

The report added that out of 150 bank accounts involved in this racket, EOW has analyzed 17 accounts till date, out of which transaction of Rs 108 Crore have already been traced.