New Delhi:
The Delhi Police have arrested international conman Ravindra Nath Soni, who is accused of orchestrating scams worth nearly ₹970 crore across multiple countries, including the United States, Dubai, Japan, Malaysia, and India. Soni, a resident of Malviya Nagar in Delhi, was apprehended from Dehradun in connection with a ₹42.29 lakh fraud case registered in Kanpur.
Investigations revealed that Soni used hawala networks and cryptocurrency channels to bring illicit funds from abroad into India. A woman associate reportedly managed his financial operations in the United States.
According to the police, Soni lured investors by promising monthly returns of 4–5 percent. He operated through 11 sister companies linked to a supposed blue-chip firm, collecting crores of rupees from unsuspecting investors. To win their trust, he initially paid interest on time and even issued cheques as a guarantee — a strategy that helped him trap more victims before he eventually siphoned off large sums.
A victim, an artist from Dubai, informed investigators that Soni used the credibility of Bollywood actor Sonu Sood and wrestler The Great Khali, projecting them as brand ambassadors of his company at various promotional events. Using their names and public image, he allegedly attracted significant investments and later misappropriated the funds.
So far, police have confirmed fraud cases ranging between ₹70 lakh and ₹12 crore, while the total amount involved is estimated to be much higher. Further investigation is underway to uncover the full extent of the scam and identify additional victims.
