Hyderabad MBA graduate loses ₹50 lakh in Telegram cricket betting scam, helps police arrest five influencers

Summary

A Hyderabad-based MBA graduate lost over ₹50 lakh in an online cricket betting scam and helped police arrest five influencers involved in the scheme. In December 2023, he and a friend came across a Telegram channel called “The Mars Toss” through Instagram reels while in Italy. The influencers, including Pottavathini Deepak, allegedly promised guaranteed match outcomes and directed users to offshore betting sites. The graduate’s friend, who lost ₹60 lakh, died by suicide in December 2024. The whistleblower conducted a month-long investigation, posing as a betting site representative to gather evidence, and provided it to Cyberabad police in June 2025. Based on his information, the police filed two FIRs and arrested the accused.