Finance Influencer V Harish Dies by Suicide Amid Alleged Cyberbullying
In a purported final video, the 27-year-old alleged harassment, money demands and threats against his family. The allegations remain disputed.
- V Harish, 27, dies by suicide in Chennai
- Father alleges cyberbullying by venture studio CEO
- Purported last video describes harassment and money demands
- Jason Samuel denies harassment, cites alleged misrepresentation
GG News Bureau
Chennai, 21st Oct: V Harish, a 27-year-old finance influencer known for his social media brand Finance With Harish, has died by suicide at his Chennai home amid allegations of cyberbullying and harassment. His father has accused Jason Samuel, CEO of venture studio Zemuria Inc., of targeting his son. Samuel has denied harassing Harish.
In a video described by Harish’s friends as his last, the influencer claimed that five years of hard work had been taken away from him, apparently referring to the disabling of his Instagram account. The video has not been independently verified.
“It is five years of my hard work. If you find any mistakes in me, you can question me, and I am ready to respond. But my five years of hard work have been stolen,” Harish said in the video.
He further alleged that he and his family were being harassed and that money was being demanded from him. Harish also claimed that he had been threatened with the possibility of his family being targeted and that the person involved had cited political connections in Puducherry. He did not name anyone in the video.
Harish said the alleged pressure had caused severe mental stress and made him feel guilty even around his friends. He also claimed he was warned about potential Income Tax penalties and imprisonment, and that money was demanded to reach a compromise, with threats of further videos being released if he did not comply.
Harish had more than 1.3 million followers on Instagram and a presence on YouTube. His Instagram account was disabled by Meta following complaints and allegations made by Samuel. Harish subsequently began posting videos through a new account.
In a post on X on Tuesday evening, Samuel said he was shocked by Harish’s death and maintained that his criticism concerned what he described as the influencer’s misrepresentation of facts. Samuel also claimed that Harish was not a SEBI-registered Investment Adviser and had obtained his AMFI Registration Number only recently.
Harish’s father has alleged that the harassment and bullying contributed to his son’s death. The allegations against Samuel remain disputed, and the available information does not independently establish the claims made in the purported final video.
