Athiya Shetty’s signature forged in Rs 1.41 crore scam, ex-Hari Media network executive booked

Athiya Shetty’s signature forged in Rs 1.41 crore scam, ex-Hari Media network executive booked

• Ex-Hari Media exec charged with Rs 1.41 crore fraud using Athiya Shetty's signature
• Accused forged documents for fake endorsement deals, misused advance payments
• Athiya Shetty unaware; police investigate misuse of celebrity identities in ads

Did our AI summary help?

Mumbai Police have booked a former senior executive of Hari Media Network Private Limited and his associates in a Rs 1.41 crore cheating and forgery case that prominently involves the misuse of actress Athiya Shetty’s name, forged signature, and fabricated endorsement documents.

According to the FIR registered by Amboli police, the prime accused, Rishbh Sureka, allegedly forged Athiya Shetty’s signature to fraudulently secure advertising deals without the knowledge or consent of the actress or her talent management agency.

Sureka, who was employed as senior manager client servicing (influencer marketing) at Hari Media Network, is accused of abusing his official position and access to company systems to execute the scam.

The investigation reveals that in January 2024, Sureka approached Matrix Entertainment, the agency that officially manages Athiya Shetty, using the company’s email credentials.

Acting independently and without authorisation, he allegedly negotiated an endorsement deal worth Rs 40 lakh with Khanna Jewellers in Athiya Shetty’s name.

To formalise the deal, Sureka is accused of forging the actress’s signature on a fabricated agreement and presenting it as genuine.

Police say that Rs 15 lakh was collected from the jeweller as an advance payment. However, the amount was neither routed to Matrix Entertainment nor disclosed to Athiya Shetty. Instead, investigators claim the funds were misappropriated by Sureka for personal use. The forgery came to light after discrepancies were noticed during internal scrutiny and verification with the talent management agency.

Also Read: Dhurandhar box office day 31: Ranveer Singh starrer becomes fifth highest-grossing Indian film, crosses Rs 1200 crore globally, overtakes KGF 2

Adding to the seriousness of the case, Sureka allegedly created fake invoices and supporting documents to make the endorsement appear legitimate. One such instance involved a fabricated Zomato invoice falsely showing Athiya Shetty and cricketer KL Rahul as part of a promotional campaign. Police believe these documents were used to mislead both the company and third parties into approving payments.

Officials have clarified that Athiya Shetty had no role in the transaction and was completely unaware of the forged agreement and financial dealings carried out in her name. Sources close to the investigation state that her talent management team has fully cooperated with the police, providing documentation and communication records to establish the fraud.

The case highlights the growing misuse of celebrity identities in the influencer marketing and digital advertising space, where forged contracts and fake email trails are increasingly being used to defraud brands and agencies. Police are now examining whether similar attempts were made using other celebrity names.

Amboli police have booked the accused under sections related to cheating, forgery, impersonation, criminal breach of trust, and conspiracy. Further investigation is underway to trace the money trail, recover misappropriated funds, and determine if more victims were targeted using forged celebrity endorsements.