In a significant breakthrough, the Maharashtra Nodal Cyber Police have arrested a 27-year-old cryptocurrency trader from Sonipat, Haryana, in connection with a ₹2 crore laundering case linked to a fake WhatsApp boss scam. The arrest uncovers a sophisticated pan-India cybercrime syndicate exploiting crypto platforms for financial fraud.

The scam unfolded in April 2025 when an accountant of a Mumbai-based electronics firm received WhatsApp messages from a number impersonating the company’s Managing Director. Believing them to be authentic, the accountant transferred ₹95 lakh each to two entities—PR Education & Immigration Pvt Ltd and AK Infra—for an "urgent project." A third transfer of ₹90 lakh was halted just in time.

Investigators discovered a 13-layered money trail involving 34 bank accounts and fintech apps like Spice Money. A crucial transaction traced ₹19 lakh to a Punjab National Bank account in Greater Noida and then to a distributor in Sonipat. The funds were ultimately handed to Suraj Surender Dahiya, a local crypto trader, who allegedly converted the money into USDT (Tether) via platforms like Binance.

Dahiya was arrested in Navi Mumbai. Authorities have invoked sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and IT Act. Investigations continue to trace accomplices and the operation’s kingpin.

In a major success against organized cybercrime, the Maharashtra Nodal Cyber Police have arrested Suraj Surender Dahiya, a 27-year-old cryptocurrency trader from Sonipat, Haryana, for his alleged involvement in laundering ₹2 crore obtained through a fake WhatsApp boss scam. The scam targeted a Mumbai-based electronics manufacturing firm and involved deep cross-state coordination.

The fraud began in April 2025, when the firm’s accountant received messages on WhatsApp from a number that used the Managing Director’s photo, prompting transfers of ₹95 lakh each to PR Education & Immigration Pvt Ltd and AK Infra. A third transfer of ₹90 lakh was aborted after the accountant verified with the real MD, by which point ₹1.9 crore had already been siphoned.

The cyber cell’s investigation exposed a complex 13-layer money laundering chain spread across 34 bank accounts and involving fintech platforms like Spice Money. A critical link in the trail was the movement of ₹19 lakh into a Punjab National Bank account, which was eventually withdrawn and handed to Dahiya on instructions passed from Uttar Pradesh.

Dahiya, tracked to Navi Mumbai, was arrested and found to have converted the stolen money into USDT (Tether) using crypto exchanges like Binance. Another suspect, Dheeraj Paswan, named a facilitator called Raubikumar who arranged crypto transactions for cash.

The police have registered cases under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (new penal code) and Sections 66C and 66D of the IT Act. Authorities believe the syndicate is headquartered in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, with far-reaching links in the underground crypto economy. Investigations to trace other operatives and recover the stolen funds are ongoing.

This case highlights the growing menace of digital impersonation and cryptocurrency-enabled money laundering in India. Police have urged companies to adopt strict verification protocols and be alert to suspicious digital communication, particularly via social messaging apps like WhatsApp.