Two Indian American men from Glastonbury, Connecticut, have been charged in a major federal case involving online gambling fraud. Prosecutors say the men used thousands of stolen identities to cheat popular betting platforms like FanDuel and made nearly $3 million over several years.
The accused have been identified as Amitoj Kapoor, 29, and Siddharth Lillaney, 29. Both were arrested on February 5. They appeared before US Magistrate Judge Maria E. Garcia in New Haven.
Two Indian men from Connecticut charged in big online betting scam
According to court documents and statements made in court, Kapoor and Lillaney worked together to defraud online gambling companies, mainly FanDuel.
Prosecutors say they opened gambling accounts using personal identifying information, also known as PII, belonging to identity theft victims in Connecticut and other parts of the country. The main goal, authorities said, was to take advantage of special promotions offered to new users.
These promotions included sign-up bonuses, credits, and bonus bets that are usually given when someone opens a new account or places their first wager.
To open these accounts, investigators say Kapoor and Lillaney bought stolen personal data belonging to thousands of people. This information was allegedly purchased from darknet marketplaces and through the encrypted messaging app Telegram.
Authorities also said the two men kept accounts on background-check websites such as BeenVerified.com and TruthFinder.com. These sites helped them gather extra details about victims, which were then used to answer identity verification questions during the gambling account sign-up process.
Federal investigators say the operation went on for years. Since 2021, Kapoor and Lillaney allegedly used the personal information of about 3,000 identity theft victims to open accounts on FanDuel and other betting platforms. Prosecutors estimate the total profits from the scheme at around $3 million.
How the money was moved
When a bonus bet resulted in winnings, prosecutors said the money was first transferred to virtual stored-value cards. These cards were backed by banks insured by the FDIC and were linked to the gambling platforms. From there, the funds were allegedly moved into bank accounts and investment accounts controlled by Kapoor and Lillaney.
Authorities believe this system helped the two men hide the trail of the stolen money.
What Federal officials said
Announcing the charges on February 7, David X. Sullivan, US Attorney for the District of Connecticut, said, “As alleged, these two men used thousands of stolen identities to open online gambling accounts and exploit new user incentives, which for several years allowed them to gamble with stolen money,” Sullivan said. “Their winning streak is now over.”
Thomas Demeo, who heads IRS Criminal Investigation in New England, said crimes of this scale would be pursued aggressively. The indictment includes one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and identity fraud, 23 counts of wire fraud, eight counts of identity fraud, two counts of aggravated identity theft, one count of money laundering conspiracy, and 10 counts of money laundering.
Some of these charges carry maximum prison sentences of up to 20 years. The aggravated identity theft charges also come with mandatory two-year prison terms, which must be served separately.
Federal prosecutors stressed that the indictment is only an accusation. Kapoor and Lillaney are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.