How a Chinese man duped 1,200 people in Gujarat of Rs 1,400 crore in 9 days with football betting app

The Gujarat police have made a startling revelation involving a case of digital deception, where a Chinese national collaborated with partners in Gujarat to develop a football betting app. This app ensnared around 1,200 victims from northern Gujarat, leading to their unfortunate loss of an estimated Rs 1,400 crore in just a span of nine days.

The magnitude of this operation prompted the Gujarat police to establish a Special Investigation Team (SIT) in order to uncover the mastermind behind this elaborate scheme. Their pursuit eventually led them to Woo Uyanbe, a resident of China's Shenzhen region. Allegedly, Uyanbe orchestrated the scam in the regions of Patan and Banaskantha in India.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) officers first became aware of this fraud in June 2022. At that time, they stumbled upon a group of con artists who were targeting individuals in both Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh through an app named "Dani Data." As a response, the Agra police launched an inquiry, which subsequently revealed connections to several individuals in northern Gujarat.

During the course of their investigation, it was discovered that the Chinese national had spent time in India between 2020 and 2022. Specifically, he had interacted with numerous locals in Patan and Banaskantha, allured by the promise of financial gain. Together with his accomplices from Gujarat, they launched the deceptive app in May 2022. This application attracted bets by promising substantial returns to its users.

On an average basis, Uyanbe managed to amass an astonishing Rs 200 crore per day, targeting individuals ranging from 15 to 75 years of age. The fraudulent app focused predominantly on football games as its medium, exploiting the enthusiasm around these matches. However, after just nine days of operation, the app abruptly stopped functioning, leading to the realization that the invested funds had been siphoned away.

As a result of the investigation, the CID's cyber cell apprehended nine individuals who were linked to the case. These individuals allegedly aided Uyanbe in channeling the money through hawala networks. They established shell companies and utilized them to facilitate the movement of funds.

Despite the Gujarat police's efforts, when they took action in August 2022 by filing a First Information Report (FIR) for cheating and IT Act violations in Patan, the mastermind behind this elaborate scheme had already vanished. He had managed to escape India and return to China before any actions could be taken against him.

Unfortunately, the CID was unable to accumulate enough evidence against Uyanbe, and as a result, the state has not yet commenced his extradition process. Sources within the police department indicate that the mastermind continues to operate his network in regions like Shenzhen, China, as well as neighboring areas such as Hong Kong and Singapore. He reportedly employs multiple apps for various fraudulent activities. In March, the CID filed a charge-sheet in connection to this case.