The Crime Investigation Department (CID) of Odisha Police has arrested two Nigerians, besides a woman from New Delhi, who operated a well-knit online cybercrime network by seeking investment in saffron trade with hefty returns.

This organized gang of cyber criminals was operating in the guise of investment in saffron business promising high returns. The arrested persons are Christoper Chizobam, Nnamdi Stanley Mbamalu, both Nigerian nationals and Arti Gautam from New Delhi.

Arti opened bank accounts in her own name and in the names of others and shared these accounts with Christoper, who used them to transfer the fraudulently obtained money.

Christoper was involved in collection of mule accounts to facilitate the receipt of the stolen money. Nnamdi withdrew the cash from ATMs and handed it over to another Nigerian.

One of the victims who was taken for a ride by the gang had moved the Cyber Crime Unit, CID by alleging that he was contacted through Facebook, then through WhatsApp and email in December, 2023 by a fraudster impersonating as a former IAS officer from the Odisha Cadre.

The person claimed that he was working at the World Bank in Washington, DC. During the course of social media conversations, the fraudster impersonating as an ex-IAS officer sent an email asking the victim to get involved in a project to supply saffron to the World Bank Headquarters.

He asked the victim to contact the World Bank procurement department via email to express interest in supplying the saffron for their project.

The fraudster then introduced a supplier, who pretended as a Regional Manager at Organics Merchandise, a marketing agent for saffron farmers in India.

They started the so-called supply business with an initial supply of 10 kg of saffron for testing and then went up to 110 kg as per the fake purchase order from the World Bank.

The victim paid a total of Rs 2,65 crore through multiple transactions to various Indian bank accounts.

When the fraudster demanded more money, the victim realized that he had been cheated and complained to Cyber Crime Police Station.

A CB team conducted a thorough investigation and successfully apprehended Arati Gautam in New Delhi.

The arrested cybercriminals are involved in a series of cyber frauds across the country. Their account numbers have been involved in around 94 cases covering 10 States across the nation.

Further verification is going on in different portals to ascertain their involvement in other cases too. The Crime Branch team was supported by DCP, South West and DCP, Dwarka of Delhi Police.

With the active participation of Special Teams of Delhi Police, joint raids were conducted at various places in Delhi to apprehend these hardened criminals.

Subsequent clues led the team to the Nigerian Nationals Christoper Chizobam and Nnamdi Stanley Mbamai. Their involvement in other offences is being verified, the CID officials said.