ED Seizes ₹8.8 Crore from Lottery King Santiago Martin’s Chennai Office in Money Laundering Case

CHENNAI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has seized ₹8.8 crore from the corporate office of Santiago Martin, popularly known as the “lottery king,” during a large-scale operation targeting his business network. The action is linked to an ongoing money laundering case, officials confirmed on Friday.

Martin, recognized as the largest donor to political parties with over ₹1,300 crore contributed via now-discontinued electoral bonds, is under intense scrutiny from investigative agencies, according to PTI.

Multi-State Searches Target Martin’s Empire
The ED conducted searches across at least 20 locations associated with Martin, his son-in-law Aadhav Arjun, and close associates in Tamil Nadu (Chennai and Coimbatore), Haryana (Faridabad), Punjab (Ludhiana), and West Bengal (Kolkata). These operations are part of a detailed investigation into alleged financial irregularities linked to Martin’s lottery businesses.

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The searches come after the Madras High Court granted the ED permission to act on the case following Tamil Nadu Police’s decision to close the initial FIR. The agency cited several police FIRs as the basis for its latest crackdown on Martin’s network, alleging “fraud” and the “illegal” sale of lotteries.

Previous Allegations and Asset Seizures
This is not the first time the ED has acted against Santiago Martin. Last year, the agency attached assets worth ₹457 crore in connection with a case alleging a ₹900 crore loss to the Sikkim government through the fraudulent sale of state lotteries in Kerala.

Martin’s company, Future Gaming Solutions India Pvt. Ltd., serves as the master distributor for Sikkim lotteries and has been under investigation by the ED since 2019. His other business ventures include Martin Builders Pvt. Ltd. and Daison Land and Development Pvt. Ltd.

Political Donations Under Scrutiny
Martin made headlines recently when Election Commission data revealed that his company, Future Gaming, was the largest buyer of electoral bonds—purchasing over ₹1,300 crore worth between 2019 and 2024. These bonds were reportedly used for political donations, raising questions about his influence in political circles.

High Court Upholds ED Investigation
The Madras High Court last month dismissed a lower court’s order that accepted the Chennai Police’s closure of a case involving ₹7.2 crore seized from Martin’s residence. The court allowed the ED to proceed with its case, bolstering the agency’s efforts to investigate unaccounted wealth tied to Martin and his associates.

Lottery King’s Business Network Under Scanner
The ED alleges that Martin’s companies have acquired properties worth ₹19.59 crore using loans and advances provided by him and his family members. The ongoing investigation is part of a broader effort to dismantle the alleged illegal lottery empire linked to Martin.

The recent seizure of ₹8.8 crore adds to the growing legal troubles faced by the “lottery king,” whose activities continue to draw the attention of both financial watchdogs and the public.