Mumbai Police revealed that Ukrainian actor Armen Ataine, arrested in the multi-crore Torres investment scam, used a forged birth certificate and falsely claimed to be an Indian national.
Ataine, arrested last week, was remanded to 14-day judicial custody on Monday after his police custody ended. Officials said they might seek further remand if necessary.
During questioning, Ataine presented an Aadhaar card, driving license, and other documents to support his claim of Indian nationality. However, verification with Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s F Ward revealed his birth certificate was forged.
The Torres jewellery scam, a Ponzi and multi-level marketing (MLM) fraud, has defrauded over 10,800 investors of ₹57 crore. Six arrests have been made so far in connection with the case.
As investigations continue, authorities are cracking down on fraudulent investment schemes that lured investors with promises of high returns.