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Prakash Raj appears before ED amid probe into celebrity-backed gambling apps
The investigation revolves around high-profile endorsements of controversial gambling platforms allegedly involved in laundering crores through illicit betting.
The ED’s investigation is part of a wider crackdown on the illegal online betting ecosystem, which has attracted growing concern among authorities for its links to money laundering, tax evasion, and other financial crimes.
In a probe into illegal online betting operations, veteran actor Prakash Raj on Wednesday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Hyderabad for questioning under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). As per PTI, the investigation revolves around high-profile endorsements of controversial gambling platforms allegedly involved in laundering crores through illicit betting.
Raj, a prominent name in South Indian cinema, is among several celebrities summoned by the agency for their association with betting apps such as JeetWin and Lotus365. The ED believes these platforms used star power to gain public legitimacy while running illegal operations under the guise of online gaming.
Alongside Raj, actors Rana Daggubati, Vijay Deverakonda and Lakshmi Manchu have also been summoned. Daggubati, originally slated to appear on July 23, has been given a revised date of August 11. Deverakonda and Manchu are scheduled to appear on August 6 and August 13, respectively.
As per the PTI report, actors were paid celebrity endorsement fees, but the ED is probing whether they were aware of the apps' alleged unlawful functioning. Some of those named have reportedly claimed ignorance about the platforms’ true nature, stating they were not informed about their operations involving gambling or other illicit activities.
The agency took cognisance of five FIRs filed by various state police units to build its case. It suspects these apps were used to route large sums of unaccounted money, using influencer marketing as a shield to attract unsuspecting users.
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