The Lahore police arrested popular YouTuber Saadur Rehman, better known as Ducky Bhai, late Saturday night at Allama Iqbal International Airport on charges of promoting online gambling applications and laundering money through them.
The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) said Rehman was attempting to leave the country despite his name being placed on the Provisional National Identification List (PNIL)— a list used by investigating authorities to temporarily restrict travel of individuals under investigation. He was presented before a judicial magistrate on Sunday, who handed him over to the agency on a two-day remand. The NCCIA has been directed to submit an investigation report in court on August 19.
A case was registered against him under multiple sections of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, including electronic forgery, fraud, spamming, and spoofing, as well as sections 294B and 420 of the Pakistan Penal Code, which pertain to offering trade prizes and cheating.
According to the FIR, Rehman promoted gambling and betting applications such as Binomo, 1xBet, Bet 365, and B9 Game on his YouTube channel, with 8.92 million subscribers, and social media platforms. The agency alleged that his content persuaded citizens to invest their money in these apps, many of whom suffered financial losses. Investigators included 27 video links from his channel in the case file, several of which are no longer publicly available.
Authorities claimed that Rehman had been issued a summon to join the inquiry but deliberately avoided it. When detained at the airport, officials seized his iPhone 16 Pro Max and retrieved WhatsApp chats, financial records, and promotional material linking him to Binomo and other gambling apps. Investigators further alleged that he acted as Binomo’s “country manager” in Pakistan without authorisation from the State Bank or the Federal Board of Revenue.
NCCIA is in the process of scrutinising Rehman’s assets and seeking a complete record of his financial holdings. A three-member investigation team has been formed, comprising Assistant Director Shoaib Riaz, Sub-Inspector Yasir Ramzan, and Head Constable Tahir.
This is not the first time Ducky Bhai has faced legal troubles. Earlier in April, Motorway Police booked him in two separate cases for reckless driving, including performing dangerous stunts and driving at 200 kilometers per hour. He was later released on bail.
The current allegations, however, tie him directly to online gambling networks and potential money laundering operations, raising questions about the role of social media influencers in promoting unregulated financial schemes in Pakistan.
