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Pune police have arrested Kunal Jitendra Admane, 25, of the city’s Parvati area, accused of posing online as a woman named Prinsika Joshi to befriend a man on Snapchat over six to seven months before allegedly persuading him to transfer 1,468 USDT, about ₹1.5 lakh, into a crypto wallet that then went silent.
The alleged Crypto Scam began with what appeared to be an ordinary friendship on Snapchat.
Police said the complainant received a friend request from an account operating under the name Prinsika Joshi. After accepting the request, the two developed a relationship through regular conversations that continued for several months.
The extended communication allegedly helped the person behind the account establish enough trust to introduce cryptocurrency investments into the conversation.
According to the police account, the complainant was told that cryptocurrency investments could generate significant profits. Convinced by the claims, he transferred 1,468 USDT to a wallet allegedly supplied by the Snapchat contact.
The transaction represented approximately ₹1.5 lakh at the time, turning the online friendship into an alleged Crypto Scam investigation.
The deception reportedly became apparent when the complainant began asking about his investment and requested that his money be returned.
Instead of receiving his funds, he allegedly stopped receiving replies. The Snapchat and Instagram accounts were subsequently shut down.
The complainant then realised he had allegedly been cheated and approached the cyber police.
The investigation into the Crypto Scam focused on the digital trail left by the person operating the account.
Pune cyber police analysed technical information available to investigators, including the Snapchat ID and mobile number allegedly used to communicate with the complainant.
Their investigation eventually led them to Admane.
Police said the person presenting himself online as Prinsika Joshi was actually Admane. Investigators further alleged that he had deliberately constructed a female persona to maintain the deception.
According to the police, Admane went beyond simply using a woman’s name and photograph. He allegedly spoke to the complainant using a woman’s voice in an attempt to make the false identity appear genuine.
The police described the case as an unusual modus operandi, with the alleged fraud relying heavily on a prolonged online relationship before the cryptocurrency transfer was made.
The investigation therefore shifted from the missing funds to the identity behind the social-media accounts.
Police ultimately arrested Admane, who is described in the report as highly educated and trained in hotel management.
The arrest has not brought the Crypto Scam investigation to an end.
Pune cyber police are now examining whether Admane allegedly created other fake identities on social-media platforms and whether additional people may have been targeted using a similar approach.
Investigators are particularly looking into the possibility that the Snapchat identity used in this case may have been part of a broader pattern rather than a one-off operation.
The Bit Gazette had earlier reported how a Bhosari land dealer allegedly lost ₹1.33 crore in a crypto investment scam after fraudsters used a fake trading app, fabricated profits and threats to keep him from recovering his money in Pune area.
The case also illustrates how cryptocurrency-related fraud can begin outside traditional investment channels. In this instance, the alleged Crypto Scam was reportedly built around a social-media friendship before the discussion shifted toward digital-asset investment.
The complainant did not initially encounter the alleged fraud through a conventional investment advertisement or cryptocurrency platform. Instead, the relationship reportedly developed over several months before cryptocurrency was introduced as an investment opportunity.
That element could become significant as investigators determine whether other social-media accounts, phone numbers or cryptocurrency wallets were connected to the suspect.
Police have not established through the information provided that other victims exist. Their investigation is instead aimed at determining whether Admane allegedly used the same method against additional people.
The case serves as another example of the challenges investigators face when online identities, social-media communication and cryptocurrency transactions intersect.
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