In a significant financial fraud case, the Amboli police in Mumbai have registered a case against three employees of an advertising and talent hunt marketing firm for allegedly embezzling a staggering sum of Rs 1.41 crore. The accused are charged with generating fake project bills, diverting company funds, and notably, forging the signatures of high-profile celebrities to legitimize their fraudulent activities.
The Modus Operandi: Forged Signatures and Fake Projects
The accused allegedly orchestrated a complex scheme to siphon money from the company. A key part of their strategy involved forging the signatures of actor Suniel Shetty's daughter Athiya Shetty and her husband, cricketer KL Rahul, to clear bills for an advertising project they had reportedly acted in. However, investigations revealed that the celebrities were never paid for this project. In another instance, the accused forged the signature of actor Arshad Warsi for a non-existent project to funnel money away from the company.
The police have identified the accused as Rishabh Surekha, Yash Nagarkoti, and Ashay Shastri. While an FIR has been filed, no arrests have been made yet. "The team will collect evidence before taking action," stated an officer from the Amboli police station.
Detailed Timeline of the Alleged Fraud
The complaint was filed by Jeni Anthony (28), an employee of the firm which has its head office in Haryana and a Mumbai office in Andheri West. According to the FIR, Rishabh Surekha joined the company in July 2023 as a Senior Manager in Client Servicing for Influencer Marketing. His role granted him authority over branding, influencer coordination, and communicating project financials to the finance department and CEO.
Soon after joining, Surekha allegedly obtained an interest-free loan of Rs 15 lakh from the company for his mother's medical treatment. The fraud escalated in August 2024 when he secured an advertising project for Havells featuring actress Dia Mirza. He informed his company that Rs 31 lakh was needed for the production house, Hooray Movies, but allegedly assured the CEO of Hooray Movies, Yash Nagarkoti, that the project value was Rs 62 lakh. This discrepancy led to disputes and additional, unjustified payments by the company.
Unraveling a Web of Fake Bills and Impersonation
Further probes uncovered that the trio conspired to create forged bills in the names of reputed companies like Havells, Mahindra Lifespaces, Realme, and Birla Estates, siphoning over Rs 52 lakh into Surekha's personal account. The investigation also revealed that Surekha misused the company's official email ID to impersonate authorized representatives while dealing with clients and talent agencies. To further the fraud, he created a fake email ID in the name of actor Arshad Warsi to obtain funds for bogus projects.
The case highlights serious vulnerabilities in financial oversight within marketing and influencer-driven sectors. The Amboli police continue their investigation, focusing on collecting digital and documentary evidence to build a strong case against the accused.
