The STA conducts several publicity programs at various places to spread its membership. They use fancy hotels, motivational speakers, music, lunch/dinner, etc. in such meetings to brainwash future members.
The official said they also run several YouTube channels for publicity and tutoring the new members. Members are promised that they will earn $20 to $3000 per day if they join this scheme and add more members under them.
Members get bonuses and various royalties for adding new members. Its leadership is named Pearl, Ruby, Emerald, Topaz, Diamond, Pink Diamond, Blue Diamond, Black Diamond, The Hope Diamond and Koh-I- Noor depending on the number of down-line members under them and STA coin holdings, he added.
Like any other MLM/Ponzi scheme, members initially do get some monetary benefits which tempt them to add more and more members under them.
Transactions (credit and debit) of more than Rs 30 crore were noticed in the bank account of Nirod Das, Odisha head of STA. Also, there is a huge cash deposit in his accounts which indicates that lots of black money is routed/ parked in this scam. All the accounts have been frozen.
The total money involved (Pan India) in STA is estimated to be more than Rs 1000 Crores.
Last week STA had a grand celebration in a luxurious star hotel/ banquet hall in Goa.
More than one thousand up-line members including many from Odisha attended this meeting. Film star Govinda was the chief guest of this meeting/celebration. Govinda also released some videos promoting/endorsing STA.
The EOW estimated that more than Rs 1000 crore was involved (Pan India) in the scam.
As per the official, an advisory has been issued to the general public stating that, all are advised not to invest their hard-earned money in such MLM/Ponzi schemes which show dreams of becoming a millionaire in an unrealistically short time.
It has also advised investors and film stars or celebrities to check the credentials of the company/organization before investing or promoting such schemes, said the official.