Archive · 18 Aug 2026
Gujarat CID arrests mastermind of China-linked Rs 1,071 crore cybercrime
Police in India caught a man they say helped trick people out of a huge amount of money using the internet.
His name is Rafiqul Alam, and he is 25 years old.
Police believe he had a hand in more than a thousand online tricks.
The stolen money was moved into many bank accounts so nobody would notice.
Then it was turned into cryptocurrency, a special digital money, and sent to other tricksters in China.
Police found 23 digital money wallets on his phones, with a lot of money moving through them.
Alam also used chat apps like WhatsApp and Telegram to talk with the people in China.
The police also stopped ten other people from being tricked out of their money.
Some older people were told they were in legal trouble and had to pay to escape.
Police visited them and explained it was a scam, so they kept their money.
Gujarat CID arrested Rafiqul Alam (25) in Barpeta, Assam, over 1,090 cybercrimes worth Rs 1,071.5 crore.
Alam allegedly moved illicit funds through 1,758 bank accounts and converted money into cryptocurrency sent to China-based criminals.
Investigators found 23 crypto wallets on his phones with Rs 16 crore in transactions, confirming the China link.
He allegedly exchanged financial information and crime tactics with China-based criminals via WhatsApp and Telegram.
CCE counselling helped prevent 10 'digital arrest' scams targeting people in Gujarat, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra.
- Who
- Rafiqul Alam (25), the alleged mastermind arrested by Gujarat CID; victims included senior citizens in multiple states.
- What
- A China-linked cybercrime and cryptocurrency-laundering network tied to 1,090 cases worth Rs 1,071.5 crore, including 'digital arrest' scams.
- When
- Police announced the arrest on Monday; the article gives no specific date.
- Where
- Alam was arrested in Barpeta, Assam; the probe was led by Gujarat CID's Gandhinagar-based Cyber Centre of Excellence, and laundered funds were sent to China.
- Why
- To break up the alleged international gang and stop 'digital arrest' frauds and crypto-based money laundering.
- Accused
- Rafiqul Alam, 25, from Assam
- Cases linked
- 1,090
- Amount involved
- Rs 1,071.5 crore
- Bank accounts used
- 1,758 (article also cites 1,754)
- Crypto wallets found
- 23 wallets; Rs 16 crore transacted
- Communication channels
- WhatsApp and Telegram
- Digital arrest cases prevented
- 10 (5 in Gujarat, 3 in Odisha, 1 in Chhattisgarh, 1 in Maharashtra)
- Scam tactics used
- Fake Maharashtra police and Supreme Court letters; child-pornography framing threat (Rs 20 lakh demand) and fake Enforcement Directorate action (Rs 60 lakh demand)