The Great Bitcoin Heist in Delhi
A group of six young miscreants in Delhi thought they’d hit the jackpot by masquerading as Bitcoin traders. Their plan? To lure businessmen into a trap and lighten their wallets while claiming they were making crypto deals. Spoiler alert: they got caught.
The Setup: How It All Went Down
The mastermind of this operation made a critical mistake—underestimating the power of the internet and the persistence of law enforcement. The group initiated contact with their first victim, enticing him with a phone call from a supposed Bitcoin trader named Karishma Rajput. Claiming to offer Bitcoin at an irresistible price, they arranged a meet-up at a mall, which ended up being a rendezvous with crime instead of crypto.
The Meeting
Upon meeting, our unsuspecting businessman was instead ushered into a dingy apartment in Ghaziabad. There, the gang put on quite the performance, robbing him of INR 3.6 million (about $55,000), knocking on the door of ‘very bad decisions.’ And after the dust settled, they ensured he left with ample bruises and a not-so-pleasant warning: “Don’t even think of going to the cops!”
The Victim Dilemma
This band of delinquents had a sneaky plan in mind: they relied on the victims’ fear of reporting unaccounted cash to the authorities—a crafty strategy, but one that was doomed to fail eventually. Their earlier robberies had gone unreported for this very reason. However, it only took three times for the police to start connecting the dots and spring into action.
The Arrest
After the businessman bravely reported the crime, Delhi police swooped in, arresting the entire gang, including a bankrupt property salesman, a law school dropout, and his girlfriend. Yes, kids, crime doesn’t pay and apparently, it also doesn’t make for a promising career.
Red Flags: When Deals Seem Too Good
The gang offered Bitcoin at a jaw-dropping price of ₹72,000 (about $1,100)—which meant a whopping 70% discount compared to the market rate. Talk about a red flag waving! For any rational human being, such extravagantly low opportunities should ring alarm bells. Yet, here we are, with another case proving that if it sounds too good to be true, it likely is. The allure of cheap cryptocurrency got the better of this businessman, leading him down a rabbit hole of regret.
Lessons Learned
This cautionary tale reminds us all: in the digital age, especially when it comes to investments like cryptocurrency, do your homework. Always validate offers, and never trust a smooth talker promising the moon. Banks might be slow, but at least they won’t send you home with a sore backside and an empty pocket!
