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Southern India's Telangana Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Special Investigation Team (SIT) traced victim's funds through a complex web of 46 mule bank accounts operating across eight layers
Investigators uncovered an intricate web of 46 mule bank accounts operating across eight layers of transactions that allegedly moved player funds through multiple Indian states
A complex multi-state illegal betting network linked to the Dafabet platform is unraveling in Southern India.
The Telangana Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Special Investigation Team (SIT) traced victim's funds through a complex web of 46 mule bank accounts operating across eight layers, exposing a sophisticated network spanning multiple states.
11 individuals have been arrested, allegedly linked to a network promoting the Dafabet online gambling platform. The probe has shed light on how offshore betting operators and their local support networks function across Asia’s black-market gambling ecosystem.
Investigators uncovered an intricate web of 46 mule bank accounts operating across eight layers of transactions that allegedly moved player funds through multiple Indian states, according to a report by Indian public broadcaster NDTV. Authorities also uncovered shell companies, technical support infrastructure and a network of account providers spread across the country.
“Illegal online betting platforms are not harmless gaming avenues; they are organIzed criminal enterprises that exploit vulnerable citizens, siphon money through layered financial networks and fuel cyber-enabled crime,” Telangana CID Director General Charu Sinha said.
From Casino.org:
The accounts are often sourced from economically vulnerable individuals in rural communities who are paid to hand over control of their banking facilities. That’s why in some sections of the offshore gambling industry they are known as “farmers’ accounts.”
Investigators say these accounts can then be woven into complex payment networks involving intermediaries and payment processors, helping operators disguise the flow of gambling funds and frustrate law-enforcement efforts.
Those arrested by Telangana CID allegedly included individuals responsible for collecting funds, sourcing mule accounts, operating shell companies and providing technical support.
Investigators said customers were recruited through aggressive marketing campaigns promoting cricket betting, casino games and the popular Aviator game, often with promises of easy profits and high returns. Initial payouts were reportedly used to build trust before users were encouraged to increase their wagers.
Dafabet is hardly some bookmaking business that operates from the dark corners of the World Wide Web.
It is a respected online gambling site and widely considered among the largest Asia-focused online sportsbooks and casino operators. It launched in 2004 and grew rapidly by focusing on bettors in Asia, particularly football, cricket, basketball, and Asian handicap wagering.
Notably, the company has had sponsorship deals with top football clubs including Celtic, Aston Villa, Burnley, Norwich City, Bournemouth, Blackburn Rovers and Sunderland.
In addition to operating in so-called "grey" markets, Dafabet has held licenses in recognized and more restrictive jurisdictions, including the difficult-to-access United Kingdom.
- Aaron Goldstein, Gambling911.com
