IT expert arrested for defrauding TV host Nadia Khan

The Cyber Crime Circle (CCC) of the Federal Investigation Agency has arrested an IT expert for allegedly defrauding renowned TV host Nadia Khan through social media.

Officials said on Saturday that the arrest was made after an inquiry was registered on May 3, 2021, at FIA Cyber Crime Reporting Centre Karachi on a complaint from Nadia Khan, resident of DHA Phase 6.

The complainant said: “It is to submit to your kind information that Hammad Sami, an IT professional, came to my home in September 2020 to restore some settings on my AdSense account of my YouTube channel Outstyle.com. Later on, my earnings from my AdSense account failed to show in my AdSense account for five months.

“On filing a complaint with YouTube, a detailed investigation was concluded by them. It was concluded by the investigation team of YouTube that the missing revenue was redirected to an account owned my Mr Hammad Sami and my five months’ earnings were sent to his bank account instead of mine, which means Hammad Sami while doing my channels settings made changes so that all future earnings would go to him instead of me.

“All proof and evidence is with me. I am requesting you to investigate and catch the criminal to retrieve my earnings.”

During the inquiry, the complainant provided evidence, a detailed statement and an affidavit in support of her complaint. She also provided the mobile phone number and bank account number of Sami.

A notice was sent under Section 160 of the CrPC to the suspect, who appeared at the FIA CCRC. Sami stated in his written statement that in September 2020, “I have done freelance work for Nadia Khan who was Geo TV morning show host. I have recovered her YouTube channel namely OUTSTYLE, which was hacked by someone [I don't know about him]. I asked around (1 lac Pkr) depending on the work criticality, but after recovering the amount she refused to pay the amount (she was not giving reply to my messages on WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger), my email ID was associated in her account.

“So I initiated a Google AdSense account in order to receive YouTube earning. I have received four payments reflected in my YouTube account 1) 31,000, 2) 27,000, 3) 33,000 and 4) 388,000. After that I have closed the Google AdSense account.

On receipt of the record from a bank dated June 22, 2021, officials analysed the bank record and it revealed that fraudulent transactions had been credited in his account.

In view of the abovementioned facts, prima facie, it is established via the bank record and supporting evidences that Hammad Sami, son of Sami Javed, had committed offence fraudulently and obtained a Google AdSense payment of the complainant.

The complainant has lost her YouTube Channel revenue totalling Rs480,439. The permission for conducting the investigation was obtained from a court. However, during investigation of the case, it was established that the suspect had committed the criminal breach of trust with intension to commit fraud and cheating as punishable under Section 406 of the PPC.

The inquiry concluded that Sami had committed the offences punishable under sections 3, 5, 13 and 14 of the PECA-2016 read with Section 406 for which criminal prosecution had to be initiated against him. Hence, upon the approval of the competent authority and sections recommended by the AD legal, a case is being registered against the suspect.