ED attaches Rs 7.93 crore assets of Yuvraj Singh, Sonu Sood and others in 1xBet case

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached movable and immovable assets worth Rs 7.93 crore belonging to cricketers Yuvraj Singh and Robin Uthappa, actor Sonu Sood and others in connection with a case linked to the illegal offshore betting platform 1xBet, as per the news reports.

Earlier, on October 6, the agency had attached assets worth Rs 11.14 crore belonging to cricketers Shikhar Dhawan and Suresh Raina as part of the same investigation.

According to an ED statement, action has also been taken against actresses Urvashi Rautela, Mimi Chakraborty and Neha Sharma, as well as actor Ankush Hazra. The attachments were carried out under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.

The investigation was initiated following multiple FIRs registered by various state police agencies against operators of the illegal offshore betting platform 1xBet. The agency stated that 1xBet, along with its surrogate brands 1xBat and 1xBat Sporting lines, was involved in promoting and facilitating illegal online betting and gambling activities across India.

The ED said its probe revealed that the celebrities had knowingly entered into endorsement agreements with foreign entities to promote 1xBet through surrogate branding. These endorsements were allegedly carried out in exchange for payments routed through foreign entities to conceal the illegal origin of funds, which were linked to proceeds of crime generated from betting activities.

The agency further stated that 1xBet operated in India without authorisation and relied on surrogate advertisements across social media platforms, online videos and print media to target Indian users. Payments for endorsements were allegedly arranged through layered transactions using foreign intermediaries to mask the origin of the funds.

The ED cautioned that illegal betting and gambling platforms pose economic risks and are often used for money laundering and other unlawful activities. It advised the public to avoid such platforms and report suspicious transactions or advertisements to law enforcement agencies or the ED.

The agency also warned celebrities and social media influencers that endorsing or promoting illegal betting or gambling platforms, including through surrogate promotions, constitutes a punishable offence under the law.