In a shocking case of fraud, around 25 television celebrities, including well-known names like Ankita Lokhande, Tejasswi Prakash, and Ayush Sharma, have been victims of a scam amounting to Rs 1.50 crore. Mumbai’s Chembur police have filed a case against five accused after a celebrity manager reported the incident.
How the Fraud Unfolded
The scam came to light when Andher Roshan Binder, a celebrity manager, lodged a complaint stating that his company, which arranges celebrities for endorsements and events, was cheated by a group of fraudsters posing as representatives of an energy drink brand.
The fraudsters contacted Binder in July 2024, claiming they needed 25 artists for a high-profile advertisement campaign. To win trust, they sent a fake receipt of Rs 10 lakh as an advance payment. The actual transaction, however, never took place. The accused further invited Binder and the selected artists to a party in Dadar, Mumbai, where the deal was finalized.
The Celebs Caught in the Scam
More than 100 celebrities attended the Dadar event, including Arjun Bijlani, Abhishek Bajaj, and Harsh Rajput. Out of them, 25 were chosen for the ad campaign, and a payment of Rs 1.32 crore was agreed upon.
As a guarantee, the fraudsters issued fake checks worth Rs 15 lakh and assured the victims that the payments would be transferred within 35 days. On this promise, the artists proceeded with the advertisement shoot, and the content was uploaded on social media.
Fake Checks & Unfulfilled Promises
As time passed, the promised payments never came through. Two checks—one of Rs 2 lakh and another of Rs 90,000—bounced. The accused then claimed that Rs 22.5 lakh had been transferred from Dubai, but no amount was credited to Binder’s account.
Further, a check of Rs 6.5 lakh issued for Tejasswi Prakash and another of Rs 1.25 lakh for Adrija Roy also bounced. The fraudsters continued to stall payments, later issuing two more checks worth Rs 35 lakh and Rs 45 lakh, again promising transfers within two days.
Massive Financial Losses for Celebs
Based on these assurances, Binder made an advance payment of Rs 35 lakh to celebrities including:
- Jai Bhanushali
- Bhumika Gurung
- Ankita Lokhande
- Ayush Sharma
- Sana Sultan
- Kushal Tandon
- Adrija Roy
- Abhishek Bajaj
However, when a final check of Rs 80 lakh also bounced, it became clear that they had fallen victim to a well-planned scam. In total, Rs 1.32 crore was lost by the artists, while Binder himself suffered an additional personal loss of Rs 16.91 lakh.
Police Action & Investigation
Following the complaint, the Chembur police registered an FIR against five accused, including a resident from Madhya Pradesh. Officials are currently investigating their whereabouts and any possible leads related to the fraud.
As investigations continue, this case has raised concerns in the entertainment industry about fraudulent endorsements and how easily scammers can target celebrities using fake business deals.
