Cyberabad Police of Telangana on Wednesday said they arrested two individuals accused of running a sophisticated cyber-extortion scheme against Hyderabad-based Hetero Group of Companies, one of India’s largest pharmaceutical manufacturers. The suspects allegedly demanded $250 million, threatening to leak fabricated compliance violations to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (USFDA).

The accused, identified as Gadi Manikanta and Yendapalli Jessy Sudarshan, allegedly impersonated USFDA officials using fake email IDs and encrypted messaging apps, including Signal, to pressure Hetero, a release issued by Cyberabad police said.

Investigators said the duo sent pseudonymous emails claiming to possess “damaging” regulatory information and warned of imminent USFDA action unless the ransom was

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