New Delhi: A senior pharmaceutical executive was duped of more than Rs 1.1 crore in a high-profile cyber fraud where two men, posing as representatives of Abbott Pharmaceutical UK and the World Health Organization (WHO), lured him into a fake kola nut trade deal. The case came to light after Kolkata Police arrested the accused from Delhi.
The accused, identified as Ejike Benjamin Nwabunwanne and Believe Onyeacholem, were nabbed from their rented residence in Mahavir Enclave, South West Delhi. According to investigators, the duo used forged WHO and pharma documents, fake email accounts, and WhatsApp communication to convince the victim of the scheme’s legitimacy. Once trust was established, the executive was persuaded to transfer over ₹1.1 crore.
During the raid, police recovered a large cache of incriminating material, including 12 Android phones, two keypad mobiles, a laptop, a Wi-Fi router, multiple UK SIM cards, ATM cards, and a pen drive containing fabricated letters and a database of other potential targets.
Authorities noted that this is not the first time pharma executives have been targeted by international cyber fraudsters. Similar scams involving impersonation of reputed global organisations have been reported earlier this year, raising concerns over the sector’s vulnerability to such sophisticated attacks.
As per a report by the Times of India, the arrests are part of a larger crackdown on organised cybercrime networks targeting pharmaceutical professionals across the country. The two accused remain in police custody as further investigations continue to trace their wider network.
