ED attaches Rs 1.06 crore assets in Meghalaya-based ‘Global Media App’ fraud case

Enforcement Directorate has provisionally attached movable properties worth Rs 1.06 crore in connection with the alleged “Global Media App” investment fraud case involving large-scale cheating of investors through a fake online earning scheme.

In a press release issued on May 9, the Shillong Sub-Zonal Office of the ED said the action was taken under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act as part of its ongoing probe into the case.

The investigation was initiated based on an FIR registered at Madanriting Police Station in East Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya regarding allegations of cheating through a mobile application named “Global Media App.”

According to the ED, the accused allegedly operated the application as a ponzi-style investment scheme disguised as an online advertising platform promising passive income for watching advertisement videos.

Investigators alleged that users were persuaded to upgrade to VIP membership plans by investing substantial sums with assurances of high daily returns and referral commissions.

The agency said the application was extensively promoted through a Telegram channel administered by individuals using foreign mobile numbers, while funds were collected from investors through bank transfers, UPI transactions and cryptocurrency wallets.

Officials stated that the fraudulent scheme operated between June 3, 2022 and October 12, 2022, after which the application was abruptly shut down and the accused allegedly absconded with investor funds.

The ED estimated that proceeds of crime generated through the scheme amounted to approximately ₹45.33 crore.

During the investigation, officials identified multiple bank accounts, merchant IDs, payment gateway accounts and cryptocurrency wallets allegedly used for collection and layering of funds.

The agency further revealed that funds collected through the application were routed through several layers of bank accounts and merchant entities enrolled in payment gateways, which investigators described as mule entities.

The ED also found that cryptocurrency wallets operating on the TRON blockchain network were used to collect and transfer Tether tokens.

Investigators conducted inquiries with banks, payment gateways, Google, Telegram and cryptocurrency exchanges to trace the movement of funds and identify beneficiaries.

The ED claimed the fraud had a significant international dimension, alleging that the Telegram channels connected to the application were operated using mobile numbers registered in Cambodia and Malaysia.

Officials also stated that Gmail accounts associated with the backend of the application were registered with “Terms of Service country: Cambodia,” suggesting operational control of the scheme was located outside India.

According to the ED, around ₹2.45 crore collected from victims in the form of USDT tokens was routed through the TRON blockchain to user accounts on a foreign cryptocurrency exchange.

The agency said KYC details of immediate end-recipients have been obtained and further investigation into the money trail is underway.