Virat Kohli's abandoned Audi R8 supercar has a scam connection
A white-colored Audi R8, previously owned by cricket legend Virat Kohli, has been found in an abandoned state outside a police station in Maharashtra. The supercar was Kohli's first R8 model, which he had bought in 2012. In 2016, he sold the iconic car for Rs. 2.5 crore through a broker. And then a scam saw the car finishing up outside a police station.
Why does this story matter?
Virat Kohli has been the brand ambassador of Audi in India since 2015. The former skipper of the Indian Cricket team has always been a fan of the German carmaker and has been driving an R8 supercar since 2012. The luxury automaker recently extended its official association with Kohli. However, one of his old cars is now hogging the limelight for a different reason.
The car was sold in 2016 via a broker
After acquiring a second-generation model of the R8, Kohli sold his older supercar to Sagar Thakkar aka Shaggy, via a car broker for about Rs. 2.5 crore in 2016. However, the car was seized by the Thane Crime Branch before the ownership transfer was completed.
Turns out Shaggy ran a fake call center scam
According to the Crime Branch, Thakkar is a mastermind behind an Rs. 500 crore fake call center scam, wherein US-based taxpayers were conned by callers posing as American tax and immigration officials. Nearly 15,000 US citizens were targeted by scammers since 2013. The operation was executed through half a dozen call centers, spread across Mira Road and its adjoining area in Thane, Maharashtra.
The Audi R8 is in extremely bad condition
Ever since it was impounded by the Thane Police, the Audi R8 has been in an extremely bad condition. As per reports, the supercar has been parked in open ground, without any shelter, and is completely damaged after heavy rainfall and floods in the region.
About Kohli's Audi R8 supercar
Virat Kohli's Audi R8 5.2 FSI coupe is essentially a facelifted version of the first-generation model in an 'Ibis White' paint scheme with contrasting black decals and blacked-out designer alloy wheels. The supercar features a sporty two-seater cabin and has an all-black interior theme with silver-colored switches and premium leather upholstery. It is powered by a now discontinued 5.2-liter, naturally aspirated, V10 engine.
