ED Charges Winzo in Rs 3,522 Crore Bot-Driven Gaming Fraud

• The ED has filed a chargesheet against Winzo Pvt. Ltd. for allegedly orchestrating a Rs 3,522 crore bot-driven real-money gaming fraud between FY22 and FY26.
• Winzo, its directors Paavan Nanda and Saumya Singh Rathore, and its subsidiaries are accused of manipulating games using automated bot profiles and simulated players.
• The company allegedly used misleading terms like “Engagement Play (EP)” and “Past Performance of Player (PPP)” to conceal bot activity, luring users with initial wins before deploying 'hard bots' for significant losses.
• Genuine users reportedly lost Rs 734 crore to bot profiles, and Winzo allegedly blocked legitimate winnings and diverted Rs 47.66 crore after a government ban.
• Proceeds of crime were allegedly laundered through shell companies in the US and Singapore, with $55 million transferred as overseas direct investment and Rs 230 crore as 'loans'.

Why It Matters: ED alleges Winzo defrauded users of Rs 3,522 crore through bot-driven game manipulation and money laundering.