Hyderabad: The Karimnagar Rural Police on Wednesday arrested a partners for allegedly running a honey trap racket to recover losses from their failed business activities. The accused allegedly targeted unsuspecting men through social media and extorted large sums by blackmail.
According to police, the couple hailed from Mancherial district and had lived for the past ten years at Arepalli in Karimnagar. The husband ran a marble and interior business, while the wife managed a YouTube channel. However, mounting business losses and flat EMI payments pushed them into financial distress.
Police said the financial pressure led the couple to seek easy money. As a result, they jointly planned a honey trap operation using social media platforms to target men.
Karimnagar honey trap racket targeted over 100 victims
Investigators said the woman posted semi-nude photos and videos on her Instagram account to attract men. She later invited those who responded to her apartment. During private moments, the husband secretly recorded videos.
The couple then threatened the victims using those recordings. They allegedly warned that they would upload the videos online or kill the victims if they refused to pay money.
Police said that over the past three years, the accused targeted more than 100 people. The victims included businessmen, doctors, and students. The couple reportedly extorted several lakh rupees.
During the probe, police found that the accused used the illegal earnings to buy a plot worth Rs 65 lakh, along with a luxury car and furniture.
In one case, the couple allegedly collected Rs 13 lakh from a lorry businessman from Karimnagar. When they demanded an additional Rs 5 lakh, the victim approached the police.
Acting on the complaint, a team led by Rural CI Niranjan Reddy arrested the accused on Wednesday. Police seized mobile phones used in the crime, a car, and cash from their possession.