ED files prosecution complaint in $20 million crypto fraud case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a prosecution complaint against Chirag Tomar, and others. Tomar was arrested in the United States on the charge of stealing over $20 million through the use of fake or spoofed websites mimicking the cryptocurrency exchange website Coinbase.

Among those arraigned are Chirag Tomar, Pankaj Tomar, Kushagra Shakya, Akash Vaish, Rahul Anand, Ketan Luthra, the Tomar Group of Industries Private Limited, and Exahomes Realtors, the agency said on Monday (June 15, 2026).

Chirag Tomar was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation at the Atlanta airport on December 20, 2023, and later sentenced by a U.S. court to 60 months’ imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release. The ED initially launched its probe based on media reports of his arrest.

“The investigation revealed that Chirag Tomar, currently in custody in the U.S., was involved in a large-scale cyber fraud by spoofing the website of the cryptocurrency exchange ‘Coinbase’ and stealing cryptocurrency,” the agency said.

The agency requested for, and received, evidence and details from competent authorities in the United States through Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty channels.

The investigation revealed that Chirag Tomar and his associates allegedly created and used fake websites resembling the genuine Coinbase platform to deceive victims, and obtain their login credentials and other details. After gaining access to their Coinbase accounts, cryptocurrency holdings were transferred to wallets controlled by them.

The stolen cryptocurrency was converted into other virtual digital assets, moved via multiple wallets, and ultimately converted into Indian currency through peer-to-peer transactions. The funds were received in the bank accounts of Chirag Tomar and others, and used for acquiring properties, the agency said. The ED has so far provisionally attached assets worth about ₹64.55 crore in the case.