Messi fraud case: Police raid Reporter Broadcasting Company, owners’ premises; foreign currency, credit cards taken into custody

KOCHI: Police conducted raids at the office of Reporter Broadcasting Company and premises linked to its owners as part of an investigation into an alleged multi-crore financial fraud carried out in the name of football legend Lionel Messi. The searches were conducted simultaneously at the company’s headquarters in Kalamassery, flats in Kochi belonging to the Augustine brothers, the office of advertising company GOTAD, and their ancestral home in Wayanad. Foreign currencies, digital records and credit cards issued by foreign banks were reportedly taken into custody during the searches.

Managing Editor Anto Augustine is the first accused in the case, while Reporter Broadcasting Company is the second accused. The charges include cheating, fraud and conspiracy. The case was registered on the complaint of P. Vikraman, an officer of the Special Investigation Team (SIT), following a preliminary inquiry.

The searches were conducted by a team led by Thrikkakara Assistant Commissioner of Police Binoy Chandran, who is also a member of the SIT headed by ADGP P. Vijayan.
While Binoy Chandran led the team that arrived at the channel office, other teams conducted searches at the flats and the advertising company.

Police examined Anto’s mobile phone and laptop at his flat. The search, which began at around 4 a.m., continued until the evening.
According to the FIR, Anto and others had allegedly conspired from December 2024 and inserted false and illegal conditions into an agreement with the Argentine Football Association, thereby allegedly deceiving the government and others and making wrongful gains.

Police action at news desk triggers protest

The entry of police personnel into the news desk area led to protests. Reporter TV said mobile phones belonging to journalists and technical staff were taken into custody and that personnel working at the news and digital desks were moved out. Police also examined diaries, desk drawers and files.
Reporter TV said the action disrupted its broadcast for around one-and-a-half hours.

Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan, former minister P. Rajeev and the Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ) were among those who protested the police action.

Managing Editor Anto Augustine said the investigating officers were asking if the issue could not be settled and that he had no answer to the question. He also said he had not received any notice in connection with the investigation.

ADGP P. Vijayan, the SIT head, said the search was conducted with a search warrant. He denied that Reporter TV’s news broadcast had been disrupted and said the proceedings had been recorded on camera.