NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
Charlotte, N.C., Aug. 8, 2025: India’s Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has attached assets worth ₹42.8 crore belonging to Chirag Tomar, his family members, and associated entities, in connection with a massive cryptocurrency fraud that targeted victims across the world. The move comes months after Tomar, a 31-year-old Indian national, was sentenced in the United States to five years in prison for his role in the $20 million scheme.
The ED began its probe after media reports surfaced of Tomar’s arrest in the U.S. Court documents from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina reveal that, between June 2021 and early 2022, Tomar and his co-conspirators created fake websites mimicking Coinbase, one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges.
According to the ED, the provisionally attached assets – ordered on August 2, 2025 – include 18 immovable properties in Delhi and credits in multiple bank accounts. Investigators allege that Tomar purchased these properties with proceeds from the crypto scam.
In some instances, the fraudsters used a URL nearly identical to Coinbase’s “Pro” platform (Pro.Coinbase.com), such as “CoinbasePro.com,” to lure unsuspecting users. The spoofed websites appeared authentic but carried fraudulent contact numbers. When login attempts failed, victims called the listed number, which connected them to a call center allegedly run by Tomar.
Impersonating Coinbase customer service representatives, the scammers tricked victims into revealing login credentials and two-factor authentication codes, or persuaded them to install remote desktop software, granting the fraudsters direct access to their computers. Once inside the victims’ legitimate Coinbase accounts, the criminals quickly transferred cryptocurrency holdings to wallets under their control, liquidating the assets on peer-to-peer platforms and converting the proceeds into Indian rupees.
Prosecutors said Tomar spent the illicit funds on a lavish lifestyle, buying high-end watches, luxury cars such as Lamborghinis and Porsches, and funding trips to Dubai, Thailand, and other destinations.
One documented case in February 2022 involved a North Carolina victim who lost over $240,000 after being tricked into calling a fake Coinbase representative.
Tomar was arrested on December 20, 2023, at Atlanta airport. In May 2024, he pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy and was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release. He remains in U.S. custody.
The ED’s investigation has traced the flow of stolen cryptocurrency into Indian bank accounts linked to Tomar and his family. The agency says the funds were used to purchase multiple real estate holdings.
Further investigation into the money trail is underway.
