The Financial Crimes Commission has on 16 April 2025 arrested the following persons in a large crypto currency recovery platform scam:
- Mr Naresh Kumarsingh Jokhoo;
- Mr Neervissing Ramdenee; and
- Mr Syvokon Yevhen, a Ukrainian national.
It is suspected that the aforementioned suspects set up a fictitious British company named Empire Crypto. The said company masqueraded as a legitimate cryptocurrency recovery service, targeted victims of prior crypto-related scams. Utilising Facebook advertisements, the scammers primarily targeted individuals in France and Belgium, enticing them with promises of recovering lost funds.
Upon initial contact, victims were instructed to open an account with Empire Crypto and pay an upfront activation fee, typically starting at a minimum of EUR 500. Once onboarded, victims were presented with a fabricated recovery platform designed to simulate progress. As the scheme progressed, additional fees were solicited under various pretexts, such as currency conversion, insurance, and taxes.
The entire operation was coordinated from 2 call centres based in Mauritius, known as Strike Online and NetEra, which were operated by the suspects. Call centre agents, working under aliases, handled victim interactions and maintained the illusion of a legitimate recovery process. As the investigation is progressing, the value of the scam is estimated to reach several millions of rupees. The FCC is currently working in close collaboration with international authorities, and further developments are expected to emerge in due course.
All the three suspects appeared before District Court of Moka on 17 April 2025 for their provisional charge. The FCC has objected to their release on bail.