In a shocking display of digital fraud, five individuals have been sentenced to prison for orchestrating an elaborate scheme that swindled DoorDash out of $2.5 million through fake food orders and manipulated backend systems.

The cybercrime ring was led by Tyler Thomas Bottenhorn, a former DoorDash employee who leveraged his insider knowledge to create a complex fraud network. Working with four accomplices, including Sayee Chaitanya Reddy Devagiri and Manaswi Mandadapu, the group exploited technological vulnerabilities to generate fictitious delivery orders.

The scam operated between 2020 and 2021, with Devagiri playing a crucial role in manipulating the platform’s software. By changing order statuses from “delivered” to “in process” and reassigning orders to controlled driver accounts, they repeatedly cycled through fraudulent transactions in less than five minutes.

Federal prosecutors meticulously unraveled the scheme, leading to comprehensive legal consequences. Bottenhorn, who initially worked at DoorDash in 2020, was sentenced to time served and must pay $2,127,216 in restitution. His co-conspirators received varying prison sentences: Matheus Duarte got 25 months, Hari Vamsi Anne received 22 months, Devagiri was sentenced to 21 months, and Mandadapu got 12 months.

Each participant, except Bottenhorn, is also required to pay $2,590,195 in restitution, underscoring the serious financial implications of their coordinated cybercrime.

This case highlights the ongoing challenges tech companies face in protecting their platforms from internal and external fraud, demonstrating the critical importance of robust security protocols and continuous system monitoring.

The sentencing sends a clear message to potential fraudsters: technological expertise does not exempt individuals from legal accountability when exploiting corporate systems for personal gain.