Who Is Avadhut Sathe? Finfluencer Under SEBI Scanner In Nearly Rs 500-Cr Unregistered Advisory Services Case

Finfluencer Avadhut Sathe is under the Securities and Exchange Board of India radar for offering unregistered advisory services. Sources told NDTV Profit on Thursday that his illegal earnings may be between Rs 400 and Rs 500 crore.

SEBI, which had earlier planned to issue an order against Sathe, decided to launch search operations. A detailed investigation is now underway. His digital content is also being reviewed.

At a FICCI event on Thursday, SEBI member Kamlesh Varshney confirmed a major search operation in Mumbai against a top finfluencer. Though not named officially, sources identified Sathe as the person under the scanner.

"We have carried out a big search operation on some big name in this industry. Enforcement action is not for revenue collection, the purpose is to create deterrence and show that the regulator is watching," he said.

Varshney further clarified that financial influencers offering guaranteed returns or investment calls cannot do so without SEBI registration. Using live market data in classes also requires SEBI approval. However, genuine educators focused solely on investor awareness are welcome and do not need registration, he said.

Mumbai-based Sathe is the owner of Avadhut Sathe Trading Academy, which was launched in January 2015, according to his LinkedIn profile. He has also been associated with another firm known as Sadhan Advisors since 2010. Sathe’s YouTube channel, which has more than nine lakh subscribers, is popular among retail investors.

Sathe trains students using methods developed by him at his academy. His approach is based on respect for the "god market," seen as its core belief for the company, according to the official website. Headquartered in Mumbai, the academy has centres in major Indian cities. It also has a global presence.

The company’s regional centres are based in Bengaluru, Kochi, Pune, Navi Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Hyderabad and Indore, among other places.

The academy is supported by more than 600 members and over 200 ASTA Satsang Centres, which the academy says reflect its emphasis on collective progress.

Sathe’s LinkedIn profile states that he has studied software engineering at the National Center for Software Technology. The profile states he has done BE in Electronics in 1991 from the University of Mumbai.

Before his entrepreneurial ventures, he was associated with Deloitte and Mumbai Port Trust, among other companies, as per Sathe’s LinkedIn profile.