A wide-ranging identity theft and fraud scheme that allegedly targeted major online gambling platforms has led to federal charges against two Connecticut men accused of stealing millions of dollars through fake betting accounts.
A 45-count federal indictment charges Amitoj Kapoor and Siddharth Lillaney, both 29 and residents of Glastonbury, Connecticut, with fraud, identity theft and money laundering offenses connected to online gambling sites including FanDuel, DraftKings and BetMGM.
Prosecutors allege the pair used stolen personal data from roughly 3000 victims to open fraudulent accounts and exploit new-user promotions, generating about $3m in profits over several years.
The indictment was returned by a federal grand jury in New Haven on February 3, 2026. Kapoor and Lillaney were arrested shortly afterward and appeared before a US magistrate judge, who released each defendant on a $300,000 bond pending further proceedings.
Stolen Personal Data Bought on Darknet
Court filings said the defendants purchased personally identifying information (PII) on thousands of individuals through darknet marketplaces and the messaging app Telegram. The information was then used to sign up for online gambling accounts that offered bonuses, credits or free bets to new users.
To pass identity verification checks, Kapoor and Lillaney allegedly subscribed to background-check services such as BeenVerified and TruthFinder.
Prosecutors said Kapoor also maintained a spreadsheet cataloguing victims’ names, dates of birth, addresses, phone numbers and Social Security numbers to manage the operation.
Read more on identity theft and online fraud: Identity Theft Isn’t a Hacking Problem, It’s a Data Problem – Here’s How to Fix It
When bets placed with promotional credits were successful, the winnings were transferred to virtual stored-value cards backed by FDIC-insured institutions.
From there, the funds were moved into bank and investment accounts controlled by the defendants, according to the indictment.
Charges and Official Responses
Federal prosecutors said the scope of the alleged conduct expanded beyond gaming concerns due to the volume of stolen identities involved.
The indictment includes the following charges:
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Conspiracy to commit wire fraud and identity fraud
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Wire fraud
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Identity fraud
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Aggravated identity theft
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Money laundering conspiracy
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Money laundering
Prosecutors stressed that the charges are allegations only. Kapoor and Lillaney are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.