Bengaluru Woman Defrauded of Rs 3.75 Crore via Deepfake Video of Sadhguru
A retired woman in Bengaluru was defrauded of Rs 3.75 crore after encountering an AI-generated deepfake video of spiritual leader Sadhguru on YouTube that falsely endorsed a trading platform. She invested funds over two months through a fraudulent application before discovering the scam when attempting to withdraw profits.
What happened
A 57-year-old retired woman from Bengaluru encountered an AI-generated deepfake video of spiritual leader Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev on YouTube on February 25, 2025, in which the deepfake appeared to endorse a trading platform.
The woman clicked a link in the video description and was contacted by a person named Waleed B using UK-based mobile numbers, who persuaded her to download the Mirrox trading application and provided tutorials via Zoom.
From February 25 to April 23, 2025, the woman transferred Rs 3.75 crore to accounts provided through the trading platform, discovering the scam only when she attempted to withdraw profits.
Reported impact
The woman lost Rs 3.75 crore (approximately $450,000 USD) to the fraudsters.
Index analysis
The woman stated she was unfamiliar with deepfake technology and believed the video to be authentic due to its apparent authenticity.
Governance controls
Bengaluru Police registered a case on September 9, 2025, under the Information Technology Act and section 318(4) (cheating) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, though officials warned that recovery of the funds would be difficult.
Police coordinated with banks to freeze the accounts into which money was transferred by the complainant.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.