CelebrityLegalIssues Archives

Shraddha Kapoor, Kapil Sharma, Huma Qureshi, Hina Khan Summoned By ED In Mahadev Betting App Case

Comedian Kapil Sharma, Bollywood actors Shraddha Kapoor and Huma Qureshi as well as television star Hina Khan have been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the Mahadev betting app case. They were issued summons a day after the central agency summoned actor Ranbir Kapoor, and have been directed to appear before the ED on October 6.

News18 previously reported that more than 17 Bollywood stars are under the scanner in the case.

Mahadev app promoters Saurabh Chandrakar and Ravi Uppal allegedly used money earned from the betting to pay celebrities. According to ED sources, more than a dozen A-listers, including Bollywood and Tollywood actors as well as sportspersons, are under the scanner. Ranbir Kapoor is allegedly the highest paid star among these names and advertised for the app on social media.

More than 100 influencers, who promoted the app, will eventually be summoned by the central agency. Moreover, more than 14 celebrities, who attended a wedding event organised by the app promoters in Dubai, will also be summoned.

Meanwhile, News18 learned earlier in the evening that Ranbir’s team reached out to the ED and requested for two weeks’ time to appear before the agency. The ED has “not confirmed any communication yet” with his team.

Source: https://www.news18.com/movies/kapil-sharma-huma-qureshi-and-hina-khan-summoned-by-ed-in-mahadev-betting-app-case-8604733.html

Ranbir Kapoor Summoned By ED In Mahadev Online Betting App Case

According to ED sources, they will record Ranbir’s statement as a witness.

The Enforcement Directorate has summoned Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor in the infamous Mahadev online betting app case. He has been summoned on October 6. He was endorsing the online betting app, and thus, he has received the summons.

According to ED sources, they will record Ranbir’s statement as a witness. Ranbir is allegedly involved in promoting and endorsing the Mahadev betting app on various social media platforms.

During the investigation, the agency found that Ranbir Kapoor promoted a subsidiary app, which is also promoted by Mahadev Book app promoters, allegedly the actor received cash for the promotion, sources said. The agency found that Ranbir Kapoor has been a social media influencer for the online betting platform.

ED officials aim to determine when he began promoting the app, the amount of money he received for these promotions, and the method of payment (whether by check or in cash). They also aim to seek information about individuals with whom he came into contact for promotional purposes and wish to confirm if any contracts were signed.

Celebrity managers’ premises raided

The Mahadev Book app is an online betting platform which is being investigated by the ED and the police due to its illegal money laundering activities.

The company promoted by Sourabh Chandrakar and Ravi Uppal, was allegedly being run from Dubai, and laundered money through layered benami accounts. The entire scam came to light when back in February 2023, Chandrakar got married in a lavish ceremony wherein he spent Rs 200 crore in cash.

A few days ago, the ED had raided the offices of several celebrity managers in Mumbai and Delhi in the same case, and had seized cash worth Rs 2.50 crore.

Chandrakar’s wedding was attended by the some of the biggest names of Bollywood, including Tiger Shroff, Sunny Leone, Neha Kakkar, Vishal Dadlani, Elli AvrRam, Bharti Singh, Bhagyashree, Kriti Kharbanda, Nushrratt Bharuccha, Atif Aslam, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Ali Asgar, Krushna Abhishek and Sukhwinder Singh. These celebs also endorsed the betting apps.

As per ED, Rs 112 crore was paid to an event management company for the wedding via hawala, and around Rs 42 crore in cash was poured in for bookings at swanky hotels.

The listed celebs are expected to receive summons from the ED too.

Source: https://www.freepressjournal.in/entertainment/breaking-ranbir-kapoor-gets-summoned-by-ed-in-mahadev-app-scam

Shakira faces new investigation over two more possible cases of tax fraud in Spain

The Colombian singer, who is already facing trial for allegedly failing to pay more than £12m worth of tax between 2012 and 2014, is now being probed over two possible cases of tax fraud in 2018.

Shakira watching the Gentlemen’s Singles semi-final between Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev ay Wimbledon

Colombian singer Shakira faces more trouble from Spain’s tax office after a court agreed to open an investigation into two more possible cases of tax fraud.

The Hips Don’t Lie singer, who has sold millions of records worldwide, is already set to face a trial for allegedly failing to pay €14.5m (£12.6m) in taxes on income earned between 2012 and 2014.

In that case, the prosecutor is seeking an up to eight-year prison term for the 46-year-old Grammy Award winner.

The singer, whose full name is Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll, has denied any wrongdoing.

Now, a Spanish judge has agreed with state prosecutors to probe two possible cases of tax fraud by Shakira from 2018.

The court said it had no information on how much money is in question.

Shakira’s legal team said she had not received any notification of the new case and found out about it through the press.

“The singer’s legal team will not make any comment until the notification reaches her through the formal and legally established channels,” they said in a statement.

Shakira is now living in Miami and she will have to be notified personally at her new address, they added.

Shakira’s public relations firm, Llorente y Cuenca, said the artist “always acted in concordance with the law and on the advice of her financial advisers”.

She is now focused on her artistic career in Miami and is calm and confident that she will receive a favourable resolution of her fiscal issues,” the firm said.

Source: https://news.sky.com/story/shakira-faces-new-investigation-over-two-more-possible-cases-of-tax-fraud-in-spain-12924299