ED arrests woman; seizes luxury cars after raids against 'bitcoin ponzi'

The investigation is against a company called Variable Pte Ltd and others and was known as 'Gain Bitcoin Ponzi scheme', ED said.

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday said it has arrested a woman and seized three luxury cars and some jewellery after recent raids against the promoters of a 'bitcoin ponzi scheme' where as much as Rs 6,600 crore worth of public deposits were collected.

Simpy Bhardwaj alias Simpy Gaur was taken into custody on December 17 and after she was produced before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in Mumbai the next day, the court sent her to ED custody till December 26, the agency said in a statement.

The investigation is against a company called Variable Pte Ltd and others and was known as "Gain Bitcoin Ponzi scheme", it said.

The money laundering case stems from multiple FIRs registered by the Maharashtra and Delhi Police against the company and its promoters like Simpy Bhardwaj, Amit Bhardwaj, Ajay Bhardwaj, Vivek Bhardwaj, Mahender Bhardwaj and a number of MLM (multi-level marketing) agents.

It was alleged in the police complaints, the ED said, that they had collected about Rs 6,600 crore in the form of Bitcoin from the public in the name of investment.

Probe found, the ED said, that Simpy Bhardwaj along with her husband Ajay Bhardwaj and MLM agents played an 'active role' in luring innocent investors by 'promising huge returns on the investment and cheated the public by way of committing fraud.'

The 'proceeds of crime' generated out of this scam were transferred to various overseas companies and were used for purchasing properties abroad and Simpy Bhardwaj was actively involved in generating, concealing and layering of the proceeds of crime, the ED alleged.

During the raids, three cars including a Mercedes and a Audi, some 'incriminating' documents and jewellery worth of Rs 18.91 lakh was seized even as assets worth Rs 69 crore have been attached in the case till now.

The main accused Ajay Bhardwaj and Mahender Bhardwaj are absconding, the ED said.