ED Attaches ₹17.91 Crore Assets in Pearlvine International Ponzi Scheme Case

The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has provisionally attached assets worth ₹17.91 crore in connection with the Pearlvine International online investment fraud, a sprawling Ponzi scheme that allegedly duped lakhs of investors across India. The action was taken by the ED’s Shillong Sub-Zonal Office under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, as investigators continue to unravel the financial architecture of the scam.

According to the agency, the attachment includes 13 immovable properties and seven movable assets, including luxury vehicles purchased using proceeds of crime. The attachment order was issued on December 10, 2025, marking another significant step in the enforcement action against the fraudulent entity operating under the name “Pearlvine International”.

The case originated from an FIR registered by the CID, Meghalaya Police, following a complaint by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Shillong. Investigators found that Pearlvine International projected itself as a U.S.-based investment company through its website, www.pearlvine.com and aggressively marketed online investment schemes between 2018 and March 2023.

The company allegedly charged a minimum membership fee of ₹2,250 and organised large-scale seminars across India and overseas, promising high returns through digital platforms. At the height of its operations in 2022, Pearlvine claimed to have more than 80 lakh members globally, a figure that later raised serious red flags for regulators.

The ED’s probe revealed that the scheme collected at least ₹1,575 crore from investors. Of this amount, approximately ₹395.35 crore remains unpaid, forming the core proceeds of crime. Officials stated that the business model followed a classic Ponzi structure, where returns to earlier participants were funded entirely through fresh deposits, with no legitimate revenue-generating activity.

Investigators identified Neeraj Kumar Gupta as the principal operator behind Pearlvine International. Gupta allegedly acquired the Pearlvine domain in 2015 and later used it to build the scheme’s international façade. He reportedly conducted promotional events in multiple countries, including Thailand, to attract new investors and expand the network.

With the latest attachment, the total value of assets seized in the case has risen to ₹54.98 crore, including earlier attachments worth ₹37.07 crore. The ED stated that further investigation is ongoing to trace additional assets, identify accomplices, and examine possible foreign money trails linked to the fraud.

Cases like Pearlvine highlight how complex financial frauds often rely on weak internal controls, fabricated records, and opaque money flows—issues that underline the importance of structured financial tracking and professional bookkeeping services in india to ensure transparency, compliance, and early detection of irregularities.