ED attaches Yuvraj, Mimi, Ankush assets

NEW DELHI: In its illegal online betting case against 1xBet, ED has attached assets worth Rs 8 crore of cricketers Yuvraj Singh and Robin Uthhapa and actors Urvashi Rautela, Sonu Sood, Mimi Chakraborty, Ankush Hazra and Neha Sharma, taking the total attachments so far in the case to Rs 19 crore.

Earlier on Oct 6, the agency had attached assets worth over Rs 11 crore of cricketers Shikhar Dhawan and Suresh Raina.

The ED's money laundering probe is based on multiple FIRs registered by various state police against the operators of the illegal offshore betting platform 1xBet. "The investigation has revealed that 1xBet and its surrogate brand 1xBat and 1xbat Sporting Lines were engaged in promoting illegal betting and gambling operations across India," ED said on Friday.

"Investigation revealed that the celebrities knowingly entered into endorsement agreements with foreign entities for the promotion of 1xBet through its surrogates. These endorsements were made in return for payments routed through foreign entities to conceal the illicit origin of the funds, which are linked to proceeds of crime generated from illegal betting activities," the agency said.

The agency further said that 1xBet operated in India without authorisation and used surrogate branding and advertisements to target Indian users through social media, online videos, and print media. "Payments for endorsements were structured through layered transactions using foreign intermediaries to disguise the illegal source of funds," it added.

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