LAHORE: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has filed a reference againstthe suspects of the Prime Zone (LPG) scam for defrauding the public.

A total of 1,622 victims have been included in the reference.

The prime suspect, Imran Ali, and coaccused Shahzad Ahmed, Hafiz Afzal, Nadeem Anwar, Faheem Anjum, Shahzad Aziz, Muhammad Naseem Khan and Mufti Rizwan have been nominated in the reference.

Imran Ali, Syed Shehzad Aziz and Muhammad Naseem Khan are currently absconding while other suspects have been arrested.During investigations, claims amounting to Rs1.13bn have been filed.

According to NAB, the accused lured the public into investing in a fraudulent LPG business through social media, promising high returns.

Co-accusedMuftiRizwan falsely certified the business as Shariahcompliant, deceiving the public into investing their money.

`After receiving complaints during an open court hearing, the NAB Lahore DG ordered a direct inquiry into the matter. In June 2024, the inquiry was formally escalated to the investigation phase. The DG reaffirmed the bureau`s commitment to taking strict action against Ponzi schemes, considering them a top priority, the bureau said.