Content creator and tech executive Jason Samuel is under scrutiny after the death of Tamil finance influencer V Harish, whose father has accused him of cyberbullying.
Samuel denies the charge. He says he only flagged concerns over Harish's credentials.
Samuel is also known as Samuel Vijayakumar. His personal website says he is the CEO of Zemuria Inc, a venture studio, and calls himself a "techno-optimist".
He runs a Discord community called TJS Mafia and publishes video essays and reports on YouTube. His site also lists essays under the title "The Sheep Code", an archive of his Instagram stories and his podcast appearances.
He has a verified account on X, where his posts on the case have drawn tens of thousands of views.
The Video And The Death
On 17 October, Samuel posted a video alleging that Harish gave personalised investment advice without a SEBI Registered Investment Adviser licence, and had misrepresented his credentials. He also said Harish got his AMFI Registration Number only recently.
Harish, 27, died by suicide at his home in Chennai on Sunday, days after the row and an Instagram suspension. Police said the death took place at a rented villa near Muttukadu, and that they received word on 20 October. Harish ran "Finance With Harish", which had more than 1.3 million followers on Instagram.
Complaint And Police Action
Harish's father filed a complaint at the Kanathur police station against Samuel, alleging a defamatory video led to cyberbullying. Police registered a case of unnatural death and are examining digital evidence.
Samuel's Response
Samuel wrote on X that he was "deeply saddened" and had "not cyber-bullied him". He said he "never reached out/contacted, threatened, or asked for this". He has said that pointing out regulatory violations and a fake licence does not incite suicide.
Replying to a user, he said "no" when asked whether he had teamed up with another creator accused by critics of cyberbullying.
Online Backlash
Critics on X have blamed him for the death, and some posts accuse him and others of running an extortion syndicate. Samuel has denied contacting or threatening Harish.
Essential Business Intelligence, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice, Daily Fuel, Gold and Silver Prices and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.