New Delhi/Chandigarh/Shimla:
Next time a viral video, flashy post or confident comment by a social media influencer or YouTuber pops up on your screen, pause and think again.
The smiling face selling dreams of quick success or easy money may not always be what it seems.
Behind the filters and followers could be someone leading you astray, misguiding you for personal gain.
In some cases, the influencer you trust could be a racketeer or even a don, quietly running contraband, betting or other illegal businesses to bankroll a fleet of luxury cars and a glamorous lifestyle.
Blind faith in online fame can be costly — in the digital age, influence is powerful, but accountability is often hidden.
The Enforcement Directorate’s action against YouTuber and social media influencer Anurag Dwivedi has blown the lid off a murky underworld thriving behind flashy reels, paid promotions and millions of followers.
With the seizure of luxury cars and digital evidence in an illegal online betting and gambling case, the ED has sent out a clear message: social media is no longer a safe haven for quick-money operators.
Investigating agencies say the Dwivedi case is just the tip of the iceberg. Several so-called influencers and social media honchos are now under the scanner for allegedly promoting illegal betting platforms, luring youth with promises of easy money, and minting hefty commissions in return.
What appeared as “brand collaborations” and “prediction tips” on Instagram, YouTube and Telegram is now being probed as a well-oiled betting syndicate operating in violation of Indian law.
According to sources, these influencers used their reach and credibility among followers to normalize gambling, often masking illegal betting apps as fantasy games or “skill-based” platforms.
The proceeds, investigators believe, were routed through layered accounts, shell entities and digital wallets — a classic money-laundering pattern now under ED’s lens under the PMLA, 2002.
The recent raids across five major cities and seizure of high-end vehicles have exposed how social media glamour was allegedly funded by illegal money, turning influencers into front-face marketers of gambling rackets.
Officials indicate that more searches, account freezes and seizures could follow as the agency widens its probe.
The crackdown has rattled the influencer ecosystem, with many hurriedly deleting old posts and sponsored content linked to betting platforms.
But the damage is done. The ED action has laid bare how unchecked digital influence can be misused to exploit loopholes, mislead the youth, and convert social media into a marketplace for illegality.
As agencies keep a close watch, the message is unambiguous: likes, followers and luxury cars do not place anyone above the law.
The age of invisible betting promotions on social media may finally be coming to an end.
#EDCrackdown
#InfluencerExposed
#IllegalBettingRacket
#SocialMediaUnderScanner
