Aofu Group scam 673 arrested, officials held for facilitation

Director CTW FIA / Director NCCIA Operations Athar Waheed tells Minute Mirror

ISLAMABAD: Shocking and sensational revelations have come to light during the investigation into the “Aofu Group” scam network, as the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) arrested 673 suspects and busted an alleged facilitation network involving officials of immigration, passport and police departments.

On the directions of Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and DG FIA Dr. Usman Anwar, FIA and NCCIA conducted joint raids at two locations in the federal capital, including the premises previously known as Akbar Floor Mill, Plot No. 89, Street No. 7, Sector I-10/3 and Sparco Plaza in Gulberg Greens.

FIR and Charges

According to FIR No. 136/2026 registered at NCCIA, Cyber Crime Reporting Centre, Islamabad on 19-08-2026 by Sub Inspector Fahad Altaf, the case has been registered under Sections 14 & 21 of PECA-2016 r/w 419, 420, 34 & 109 PPC.

The FIR states that the “Aofu Group” was operating under the guise of a legitimate IT business of buying, selling, and exporting software and hardware. However, prima facie, the call center was engaged in the production, transmission and sale of explicit content through the internet and in inducing individuals across the globe through online dating applications and sex chat.

Breakup of Arrests and Modus Operandi

Of the 673 suspects arrested, 406 are foreign nationals, including 46 women. According to the updated breakup:

1. Indonesians: 71
2. Vietnamese: 69
3. Thai: 47
4. Chinese: 42 – 18 shifted to NCCIA Holding Center G-13, 24 to Rawalpindi
5. Myanmar: 14
6. Vanuatu: 01
7. South Korea: 01
Grand Total of foreigners: 273. The rest include Pakistani men and women.

Initially, the foreigners were confined in the Gulberg Greens building after it was declared a sub-jail. Later, 231 of them were shifted to Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi and District Jail Attock.

Director CTW FIA / Director NCCIA Operations Athar Waheed told Minute Mirror that suspects were divided into groups on different floors. Their operations included “live sex/video chat” and “financial scamming.”

“Each suspect trapped more than 10 wealthy women, around 40 years of age, from their own countries. They lured them with promises of huge investment profits, played with their emotions through video calls and marriage promises, and extorted large sums,” Waheed said.

He further revealed that one company had also got itself registered in Pakistan but it did not open any account in Pakistan. Officials said this was done to create a facade of legitimacy while all financial transactions were routed abroad.

DG FIA Dr. Usman Anwar said the network used fake female identities on mobile apps to build trust before promoting fake crypto investment schemes with “unusually high returns.” Most transactions were done in cryptocurrency and immediately converted to US dollars. Employees were trained to shift funds to secret digital wallets during raids.

Illegal Facilitation Network Exposed

The investigation took a major turn when a Chinese national, “Jack/Jason,” disclosed an organized nexus involving officials of FIA’s Immigration Wing, Directorate General of Immigration & Passports, and Islamabad Police’s Special Protection Unit (SPU).

According to the FIR and officials, the network facilitated immigration clearance for Rs80,000 per person. The Chinese middleman’s phone contained WhatsApp chats and payment receipts. He also alleged that foreign nationals were paying monthly “protection money” to NCCIA Islamabad.

Director FIA Islamabad Zone Syed Shahzad Nadeem Bukhari confirmed the arrest of one Passport Office official and one SPU official, along with the Chinese middleman.

An FIA team led by Anti-Corruption Cell Assistant Director Umar Arsalan and SHO Inspector Raja Fahim arrested the passport official from Ghouri Town and recovered Rs20 million in cash from a suitcase in his car. The SPU official was also arrested from Islamabad.

Bukhari said the role of any NCCIA official is also being investigated.

Deportation and Forensics

The Ministry of Interior has cancelled visas of 284 foreign nationals and issued a 15-day one-time exit permit. All will be deported and placed on the Black List and Foreigners Control List.

Forensic analysis of hundreds of mobile phones, laptops and computers recovered during the raids is ongoing.

Waheed further said two Pakistani men linked to the law chamber of a sitting MNA have been arrested, while raids are underway for 4+ Pakistani women involved who were not present during the raids.

Investigation Officer Sub Inspector Fahad Altaf is probing the case, while visa and immigration violations are being handled under DG FIA Dr. Usman Anwar.