Winklevoss twins helped thwart scammer: officials

By Rebecca Rosenberg, Matthew Abrahams and Laura Italiano, New York Post

https://nypost.com/2014/10/09/winklevoss-twins-helped-thwart-scammer-officials/

They may not have started Facebook, but they know how to stand up to crime.

Internet entrepreneurs Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss — who once sued former Harvard classmate Mark Zuckerberg claiming they created the social network — helped collar an alleged con artist who used their names to lure star-struck marks to bogus business deals, officials said.

The brothers learned that Arun Ganguly, 36, was allegedly using their names to trick an investment firm into hiring him. They enlisted Manhattan investigative firm K2 Intelligence to look into the alleged fraud and turned over a trove of damning evidence to the Manhattan DA’s Office.

“We learned that this individual was profiting off of false statements, and that innocent people were being cheated out of their money,” Tyler told The Post. “We couldn’t just stand by and let that happen.”

The tech twins have worked closely with the lead prosecutor in the case throughout the investigation, their attorney said.

Ganguly allegedly touted himself as a jet-setting ­investment manager .

As part of his alleged scheme, Ganguly falsely told a friend in 2012 that the twins wanted to sell their Facebook shares, and the pal ultimately paid Ganguly $50,000 in consulting fees.

“There’s a lot more to this story than what the DA is alleging,” said defense lawyer Vinoo Varghese. “Arun looks forward to the opportunity to clear his name.”