In a shocking turn of events, the Mumbai police have filed a case against five individuals accused of cheating a group of 25 celebrities, including Ankitaa Lokhande, Aayush Sharma, and Adrijaa Roy, out of a whopping 1.50 crores. The complaint was lodged by a celebrity manager, who alleged that the accused individuals had orchestrated an elaborate scam, leaving the victims with significant financial losses.
According to the police, the complainant, Andher Roshan Bindeer, runs a company that provides celebrities for events and advertisements. In July 2024, he received a call from an individual claiming to need 25 celebrities for an energy drink brand advertisement. The accused initially sent a receipt showing an advance payment of 10 lakhs, but no actual money was transferred. Instead, they asked Andher to bring the celebrities to a party in Dadar.
The event, which saw the participation of nearly 100 celebrities, including Arjun Bijlani, Abhishek Bajaj, and Harsh Rajput, resulted in 25 of them being selected for the advertisement, with a total payment of 1.32 crores agreed upon. The accused then sent a photo of a 15-lakh check as a guarantee of payment and promised that the amount would be deposited into Andher’s account soon. Believing this, Andher continued with the advertisement shoot, and the content was uploaded to social media. The accused assured that all payments would be made within 35 days.
However, the police report reveals that two checks issued to the celebrities at the Dadar event – one for 2 lakhs and another for 90,000 – bounced. When questioned, the accused claimed that 22.5 lakhs had been transferred from Dubai, citing foreign exchange regulations. Nevertheless, even after two days, no money was deposited into the complainant’s account.
Furthermore, a 6.5-lakh check issued for TV actress Tejasswi Prakash and a 1.25-lakh check for Adrijaa Roy also bounced. On October 18, 2024, the accused issued two more checks – one for 35 lakhs and another for 45 lakhs – promising payment within two days. Andher, trusting this assurance, made an advance payment of 35 lakhs to actors Jay Bhanushali, Bhoomika Gurung, Ankitaa Lokhande, Aayush Sharma, Sana Sultan, Kushal Tandon, Adrijaa Roy, and Abhishek Bajaj. Yet, the accused’s 80-lakh check also bounced.
In total, the scam resulted in a loss of 1.32 crores for the celebrities and an additional 16.91 lakhs from Andher’s personal funds. Following the complaint, the Chembur police have registered a case against five individuals, including a resident of Madhya Pradesh, and are continuing their investigation.
The incident has left the celebrity community reeling, with many expressing shock and outrage at the brazen nature of the scam. As the investigation unfolds, it remains to be seen how the perpetrators will be brought to justice and what measures will be taken to prevent such incidents in the future.
In the meantime, the affected celebrities and Andher Roshan Bindeer are likely to face significant financial difficulties, highlighting the need for greater vigilance and caution when dealing with financial transactions, especially in the high-stakes world of celebrity endorsements.
The Scam: A Timeline
- July 2024: The accused contacts Andher Roshan Bindeer, claiming to need 25 celebrities for an energy drink brand advertisement.
- July 2024: The accused sends a receipt showing an advance payment of 10 lakhs, but no actual money is transferred.
- July 2024: The accused asks Andher to bring the celebrities to a party in Dadar.
- July 2024: The event takes place, resulting in 25 celebrities being selected for the advertisement, with a total payment of 1.32 crores agreed upon.
- October 18, 2024: The accused issues two more checks – one for 35 lakhs and another for 45 lakhs – promising payment within two days.
- October 2024: Andher makes an advance payment of 35 lakhs to the selected celebrities.
- October 2024: The accused’s checks bounce, leaving the celebrities and Andher with significant financial losses.
Victims of the Scam
The list of celebrities affected by the scam includes:
- Ankitaa Lokhande
- Aayush Sharma
- Adrijaa Roy
- Arjun Bijlani
- Abhishek Bajaj
- Harsh Rajput
- Tejasswi Prakash
- Jay Bhanushali
- Bhoomika Gurung
- Sana Sultan
- Kushal Tandon
As the investigation continues, the full extent of the scam and the identities of the perpetrators will be revealed. For now, the celebrity community remains shaken, and the need for increased caution and vigilance in financial transactions has been highlighted.