News Summary
Sayee Chaitanya Reddy Devagiri, a 30-year-old man, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, defrauding DoorDash of over $2.5 million. Between November 2020 and February 2021, Devagiri and co-conspirators manipulated orders using fake accounts and a former employee’s credentials. This scheme, executed in Northern California, included hundreds of transactions, raising concerns over platform security. If convicted, Devagiri faces up to 20 years in prison, alongside a significant fine. The case highlights vulnerabilities in digital platforms and the need for improved fraud prevention measures.
California – Sayee Chaitanya Reddy Devagiri, a 30-year-old man from Newport Beach, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with a scheme that defrauded DoorDash, a San Francisco-based food delivery service, of over $2.5 million. The guilty plea was entered in a San Jose court on May 13, 2025.
The fraudulent activities took place between November 2020 and February 2021, during which time Devagiri, alongside three co-conspirators and a former DoorDash employee, executed a series of manipulative strategies to exploit the DoorDash platform. Using fraudulent customer accounts, the group placed high-value orders and subsequently manipulated the company’s software to feign the delivery of these items.
Devagiri, previously a DoorDash delivery driver, collaborated with three accomplices – Manaswi Mandadapu, 29; Matheus Duarte, 29; and Hari Vamsi Anne, 30. The group utilized credentials provided by the former DoorDash employee to access the system and manually reassign orders. This allowed them to falsely indicate that the orders had been delivered, when in reality, they had not. By altering the status of these orders in the DoorDash system from “delivered” to “in process,” the conspirators triggered multiple payments from DoorDash, effectively stealing from the company.
The manipulation process was alarmingly efficient; it took less than five minutes to change the order status, and this operation was repeated hundreds of times across various orders. The extensive scheme resulted in hundreds of fraudulent transactions that benefited the conspirators financially.
Devagiri, along with his co-defendants, were indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2024. The group was arrested on October 4, 2024, facing charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Since then, several members of the conspiracy have entered guilty pleas, including co-defendant Manaswi Mandadapu, who admitted to his role on May 6, 2025. A significant part of the scheme was facilitated by Tyler Thomas Bottenhorn, the former DoorDash employee, who also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in November 2023.
If convicted, Devagiri faces a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison, alongside a fine reaching $250,000. A status hearing for his case is slated for September 16, 2025. This case underscores the vulnerabilities present in digital platforms and raises questions about fraud prevention measures in industries increasingly reliant on technology.
The fraudulent activities undertaken by Devagiri and his accomplices were concentrated primarily in Northern California, including Santa Clara County. The ability to manipulate delivery statuses and the rapid nature of the fraud have attracted attention from regulatory authorities and underscores the challenges that sophisticated fraud schemes present to companies like DoorDash.
As the case proceeds through the legal system, it serves as a cautionary tale regarding the implications of technology on business operations and the importance of safeguarding sensitive customer data. The outcome may also influence how similar companies bolster their security measures to prevent such occurrences in the future.
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
- KMBC: DoorDash Delivery Fraud Case
- USA Today: DoorDash Driver Pleads Guilty
- CBS News: DoorDash California Food Delivery Scam
- Los Angeles Times: Man Pleads Guilty to Defrauding DoorDash
- Wikipedia: Fraud
