Finance influencer V Harish dies by suicide at 27 in Chennai, family alleges cyberbullying
New Delhi: Finance influencer V Harish, who built a following of more than one million through his social media platform ‘Finance with Harish’, was found dead at a rented villa near Muttukadu, on the outskirts of Chennai, on Monday (October 19) night. He died by suicide.
Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding his death, while his family has alleged that sustained online harassment and threats caused him severe mental distress.
Finance influencer V Harish dies at 27
The 27-year-old financial consultant from Puducherry had faced criticism over his credentials and allegations that he provided financial advice without the necessary registration. His death has brought renewed attention to the growing scrutiny faced by financial influencers on social media, as well as the potential consequences of online harassment. Police have said that they blocked Harish’s social media accounts in September, and they also took down a replacement channel he subsequently launched.
I am deeply saddened, heavily grieving, shocked and frozen at what has happened and I mourn the loss of life.
I have not cyber-bullied him. I pointed out his lack of license and authority, misrepresentation of license and fraud on SEBI and AMFI where he has not got SEBI RIA for his work and misrepresented that he had an AMFI license when he got the ARN only recently. i.e., his illegal activity.
I literally asked him in the video to come back and do this with a proper SEBI license. I never intended or expected this drastic measure to happen and I mourn the loss.
— Jason Samuel (@the_jasonsamuel) October 20, 2026
Family alleges cyberbullying and threats
Harish’s father, J Vinayagam, lodged a police complaint alleging that his son had been subjected to a campaign of cyberbullying, defamatory posts and threats. The complaint names fellow social media influencer Jason Samuel, who allegedly published videos and posts about Harish on October 18, accusing him of misleading the public.
Harish recorded a video before his death in which he blamed Samuel for his decision. He claimed that Samuel had threatened to get his social media accounts blocked and prevent him from creating new ones.
Vinayagam has urged investigators to examine the video, preserve relevant digital evidence and establish the circumstances surrounding the blocking of his son’s accounts.
Samuel has denied the allegations against him. In a social media post, he said his criticism concerned Harish’s professional credentials and his authority to provide financial advice. Samuel alleged that Harish did not hold a Registered Investment Adviser licence from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and had misrepresented his registration with the Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI). He also said he had never expected Harish to die by suicide.
View this post on Instagram
Finance with Harish controversy
Harish spent around five years building an online audience through content about finance and investments. His platform, ‘Finance with Harish’, eventually attracted more than a million followers, making his social media presence central to his work.
His credentials came under scrutiny following allegations that he offered financial advice and investment-related services without the required authorisation. Samuel’s public criticism also focused on these claims. The allegations have not, by themselves, established that Harish himself.
Written By Uditi Sharma!