Matrimonial crypto fraud mastermind arrested

The Hyderabad Cyber Crime Police apprehended a key आरोपी in a matrimonial and investment fraud case at Chennai International Airport on February 24, 2026. The accused, Pedapudi Prasanna Kumar (32), a native of Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, was returning from Cambodia when he was detained in connection with Crime No. 2085/2025.

The case pertains to cheating under Sections 66C and 66D of the IT Act and relevant provisions of the BNS. A 28-year-old victim from Hyderabad reported that he was contacted through a matrimonial platform by a woman identifying herself as “Anjali Kandula,” claiming to be a UK-based Azure DevOps Engineer. After gaining his trust with promises of marriage, she lured him into investing in a fake cryptocurrency trading platform, “Bakktcoin.”

Initially, small investments showed fabricated profits, encouraging the victim to deposit larger sums via Binance USDT (ERC-20) transactions. The fraudulent platform displayed fake wallet balances, but when he attempted withdrawal, he was pressured to invest more. The victim ultimately lost Rs. 11,17,834 and lodged a complaint through the 1930 cyber helpline and Cyber Crime Police Station.

During interrogation, the accused confessed to travelling to Cambodia in 2024 for a job opportunity, where he joined cyber fraud kingpins targeting Indians through fake social media and matrimonial profiles. He allegedly procured 400–500 illegal SIM cards to operate fraudulent accounts.

Two mobile phones were seized. Further investigation is underway to trace associates, international links, and the money trail.