5 held on charge of laundering crores of taka by using Bigo Live, Likee

The Criminal Investigation Department has arrested five people including a foreign national in Dhaka on charges of laundering crores of taka through using live streaming apps Bigo Live and Likee.

The detainees Bangladeshis are Mostofa Saif Reza, 26, Mohammad Arif Hossain, 27, SM Nazmul Haque, 27, and Asma-ul-Husna Sezuti, 28. However, the detail of the arrestee foreign national is not disclosed yet.

Recently, after being defrauded a Bigo user lodged a complaint to the Criminal Investigation Department of police.

Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Jamil Ahmad of the CPC division under the CID confirmed the news to reporters at a press briefing in the capital on Sunday.

Ahmed said CID had received information that crores of taka were being transacted through several bank accounts and mobile banking services. Based on the information, they had identified the individuals and arrested them.

“To join the live streaming, its users have to top up “Bigo Live Diamonds” from their Bangladesh based agents. These “diamonds” are digital currency that local agents buy from foreign admins through banks, MFS or hundi”, Jamil said.

The official informed about one lakh Bangladeshis at home and abroad are buying the virtual currency Diamond for live video chatting every day. Hence, crores of taka were being laundered through both Bigo Live and Likee apps.

“They are sending the money for buying the currency through mobile banking sites, Hundi, online banking and other ways. Such transactions are against under the Money Laundering Prevention Act-2012”, he added.

Saif and Asma are the Bangladesh based admins of Bigo Live.

Arif used to recruit young girls and have them join in the live streaming, and Nazmul is one of the agents who sold “Bigo Live Diamonds” to users. The foreigner is directly connected to collect most of the money in cash from the hosting agents.

Meanwhile, BIGO Technology (BIGO) issued a statement saying that the company has a zero-tolerance policy against any criminal activity. So, they are reviewing this case and will take action accordingly.