Influencer With 12 Lakh Followers Detained in ₹40-Crore Money Laundering Probe

Influencer Sandeepa Virk Arrested in ₹40-Crore Money Laundering Case.

Sandeepa Virk, an entrepreneur, actor, and social media influencer with over 1.2 million Instagram followers, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a ₹40-crore money laundering case.

The case stems from an FIR filed in Mohali under Sections 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code. Virk is accused of defrauding investors by soliciting funds through false promises and misrepresentation.

ED searches across Delhi and Mumbai allege that Virk acquired properties fraudulently. She promoted herself as the owner of hyboocare.com, a website claiming to sell FDA-approved beauty products, but investigators found the site largely non-functional, with no actual products, inactive contact numbers, minimal social media presence, and no verified company details.

The probe also revealed alleged links between Virk and Angarai Natarajan Sethuraman, a former director at the now-defunct Reliance Capital Limited. The ED claims that in 2018, ₹18 crore from Reliance Commercial Finance Ltd (RCFL) were irregularly disbursed to Sethuraman, and a ₹22-crore home loan was sanctioned in violation of norms, with large portions of the funds allegedly siphoned off. Sethuraman has denied all charges and any connection to Virk.

During the raids, ED officials seized documents and recorded statements from key individuals, including Farrukh Ali. Virk was taken into custody on August 12 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and is in ED custody until Friday. Investigations into the involvement of other parties are ongoing.