The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has intensified its probe into a money laundering case linked to the promotion of illegal betting apps. Prominent Tollywood actors Rana Daggubati, Prakash Raj, and Manchu Lakshmi, as well as tech giants Google and Meta, have been served notices.

Celebrities Under Scanner

The ED suspects that celebrities promoted betting apps on platforms like YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, X, ShareChat, and Snapchat, leading to large-scale financial fraud. As part of the investigation, the ED has summoned:

Rana Daggubati on July 23

Prakash Raj on July 30

Manchu Lakshmi on August 13

They are instructed to submit agreements, bank statements, and other relevant financial documents. The ED revealed that 29 celebrities, including actors, content creators, and influencers, are under investigation based on FIRs filed in Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam.

Google & Meta Summoned

Notices have also been issued to Google and Meta, asking company representatives to appear on July 28. The ED accuses these platforms of allowing the widespread promotion of betting apps, hosting their ads, and providing links to their websites—despite ongoing investigations.

Money Laundering & Suicides Linked

The ED believes the betting apps were used for money laundering and hawala transactions. Allegedly, celebrities received crores for promoting these platforms. Tragic cases of suicides in Telangana have been linked to financial losses from online betting, further fueling the urgency of the probe.

The ED has officially filed an ECIR (similar to a police FIR) against celebrities and influencers promoting these apps, as part of its investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.