TIL CreativesImage created by AI for representation purpose In a major crackdown on illegal online cricket betting, Cyberabad police in June registered two FIRs and arrested five online influencers for allegedly luring thousands of Telugu youth to offshore betting platforms. The breakthrough came after a 27-year-old MBA graduate from Hyderabad turned whistleblower following his personal loss of over Rs 50 lakh and the death by suicide of a close friend, a TOI report stated.The youth, who recently returned from Italy with master’s degrees in management and IT, decided to act against the fraudsters after falling victim to the racket himself. He carried out a month-long independent investigation, gathering evidence that led to police action.Betting addiction started with Instagram reel in Italy“It all started in December 2023, when my friend and I came across Instagram reels in Italy showing guaranteed toss-fix for cricket matches,” the whistleblower said. “I clicked the link and joined the Telegram channel ‘The Mars Toss.’”Inside the channel, he found one of the accused, Pottavathini Deepak, offering predictions of match outcomes and urging members to place bets through specific offshore websites. The young man said he borrowed money from friends to continue betting.“I had not only invested my own money but even borrowed funds from friends to feed my addiction,” he said.Live EventsTragedy led to actionIn December 2024, his friend, who had lost ₹60 lakh to betting, died by suicide at his residence in Bhopal. “Unable to not cope with the losses, manipulation, and lies from influencers, my friend died by suicide,” he said.Shocked by the incident, the Hyderabad resident began investigating the activities of the influencers. He joined their Telegram channels and studied their tactics.“All of them are deceitful. They convince victims that they have access to cricket teams and can fix tosses and matches,” he told ToI.How the scam worksThe whistleblower said the influencers occasionally make correct predictions, which are then used to build credibility. “Occasionally, some predictions come true leading them to create reels boasting their fabricated successes,” he said. “They work for various betting sites, receiving fixed monthly payments up to ₹10 lakh depending on their social media and Telegram channel followers. They actively promote betting websites.”Evidence and arrestsTo expose them, the youth posed as a betting site representative and gathered personal details of the influencers. He approached Miyapur inspector K Kranthi Kumar, who directed him to the cybercrime wing.“All I want is to prevent more people from falling victim to deceit. They are knowingly cheating lakhs of Telugu youth. I am grateful to Cyberabad police for acting swiftly and arresting some of the fraudsters,” he said.Police confirmed the youth’s role in the investigation. “He played a proactive role in identifying the accused and bringing their details to our notice,” a senior official said.By May 2025, the whistleblower had stopped betting after losing a total of ₹50 lakh.(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel) Read More News ononline cricket bettingcricket betting scamCyberabad policeHyderabad MBA graduateInstagram betting fraudTelugu youthbetting addiction (Catch all the Business News, Breaking News, Budget 2025 Events and Latest News Updates on The Economic Times.) Subscribe to The Economic Times Prime and read the ET ePaper online....moreless (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)Read More News ononline cricket bettingcricket betting scamCyberabad policeHyderabad MBA graduateInstagram betting fraudTelugu youthbetting addiction(Catch all the Business News, Breaking News, Budget 2025 Events and Latest News Updates on The Economic Times.) Subscribe to The Economic Times Prime and read the ET ePaper online....moreless Prime ExclusivesInvestment IdeasStock Report PlusePaperWealth Edition123View all Stories