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Banned MLM business still on

DB nabs four fraudsters of Novera Products, searching for others


Published : 25 Apr 2019 11:25 AM | Updated : 07 Sep 2020 10:33 PM

The banned multi-level marketing (MLM) business in the country has not ceased to rob innocent people of their hard-earned money.

Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, in a special drive on Tuesday, arrested a group of four fraudsters from the capital’s Mirpur area who were involved in the illegal business across the country by setting up a new MLM company named Novera Products.

Being tipped-off, a team of DB led by AC Nazmul Hoque raided a house in Mirpur DOHS area on Tuesday midnight and arrested the four fraudsters, according to DB high official.

The arrestees have been identified as Saiful Islam, Md Moshiur Rahman Khan, Biswajit Goha and Md Emdadul Hoque.

All of them were key persons of Novera Products, another MLM company similar to Destiny-2000 which was banned after cheating on common investors through swindling over Tk  4,119 crore.

According to DB officials, Novera Products has been also cheating on hundreds of people in the name of high profitable investment for the last several years.

Nazmul Hoque, assistant commissioner of the Organized Crime Unit of DMP confirmed it exclusively to Bangladesh Post on Wednesday.

During arresting these persons, DB also seized a computer, a private car, official documents, a projector and some fake products of Novera.

Meanwhile, DB is still out on hunting several other former officials of Destiny-2000, a concern of Destiny Group engaged in fraudulence through MLM business, in connection with embezzling around Tk 50 crore in the name of e-commerce business in the country through setting up Novera Products.

According to credible sources, all these persons are now operating Novera Products -- a company similar to Destiny-2000.

Police claimed all the arrested and the absconding criminals were directly involved in Destiny-2000. After the fall of the Destiny Group, they started new company to carry on their cheating on people like the Destiny-2000 did.

DB is now trying to arrest key persons of Novera Products, including managing director Md Kamrul Islam, vice-chairman Shamimul Islam, director (purchase) Md Masum Billah, director (operations) Kazi Nazim Uddin and director (sales) SM Animnul Islam Khokon.

Nazmul Hoque said, during primary interrogation, the arrested persons admitted they have embezzled crores of Taka from across the country, luring people to provide high profits against their investments.

According to DB sources, Novera Products within only three years embezzled Tk 43 crore 52 lakh 36 thousand 495 through their so-called 92,209 distributors across the country.

Victims claimed these arrested persons appointed their distributors across the country promising them huge amount of commission if they can create an account by buying a package of different amounts ranging from Tk 7,000. But they actually cheated on them.

Talking to this correspondent, one of the victims F I Manik, who lodged several complaints against the officials of the illegal company, said, “I personally invested Tk 45 lakh as they promised to give me quality products, commissions against the purchased products and also monthly salary.”

“But they did not keep their promise at all. I lodged a general diary with Pallabi Police Station on March 3 this year after they threatened me to kill when I demanded my money back,” he added.

According to official documents, the fake company embezzled Tk 9 lakh 50 thousand from Monir Hossain, Tk 11 lakh from Yakub Islam Sumon, Tk 7 lakh from Zahid Miah, Tk 4 lakh from Mostafizur Rahman, Tk 10 lakh from Ifekhair Ahmed Sumon, Tk 6 lakh from Asaduzzaman Asad, Tk 3.5 lakh from Sifatullah Salehi, Tk 12 lakh from Tazul Islam, Tk 2 lakh from Hamim Ahsan, Tk 6 lakh from Somrat Reza Robin, Tk 2 lakh from Shahidul Islam, Tk 2 lakh from Md Raju.

Thus Novera products took away Tk 1.5 crore from these persons.

Responding to a question, AC Nazmul said, “We are trying to arrest the absconding top brass of the fake company.”

He suggested creating awareness among general people about such illegal MLM firms.

Government banned MLM business after the Destiny-2000 scam.