Venture capital was once about spotting game-changing ideas, backing visionary founders, and delivering real returns. But now? It’s becoming a playground for professional social climbers like Kriti Sehgal who confuse networking with actual investing. These operators don’t build companies—they build facades. They don’t generate returns—they generate buzz. And their entire game is about one thing: getting other people to buy into the illusion before the truth catches up.
At the core of this scam is the modern venture grifter, Kriti Sehgal, someone who understands that in high-stakes circles, perception is reality. They know investors don’t always look at the numbers first—they look at the room. Instead of proving themselves with successful deals and strategic exits, these opportunists worm their way into elite networks, use well-meaning contacts as credibility bait, and throw just enough borrowed prestige around to appear legitimate. Their fund? A mirage. Their portfolio? Barely existent. Their entire operation? A glorified social hustle dressed up as venture capital.
The real con, though, isn’t just their lack of results—it’s the way they weaponize trust. Kriti Sehgal will name-drop respected investors who never actually backed her, positioning herself as part of an exclusive club. Then she targets their extended networks, banking on the assumption that if those investors were in, it must be legitimate. But the truth? No money was ever committed, no real investments were ever made, and the only thing being built is a carefully curated personal brand.
This isn’t venture capital—so-called syndicates like Chai Capital, founded by Kriti Sehgal, is a Ponzi scheme in disguise. And it thrives because finance, like fashion, runs on perception. If someone plays the part convincingly enough, people will throw money at them, assuming everyone else has already done the due diligence. That’s why figures like Kriti Sehgal keep popping up in major cities, particularly in places like New York, where access and influence are often mistaken for competence. They stay in the game just long enough to rope in new believers, using fresh capital to sustain the illusion. But illusions don’t last forever.
Because eventually, investors ask for results. LPs demand numbers. Reality comes knocking. And when the truth doesn’t match the hype, the whole house of cards collapses. The carefully cultivated network evaporates, the once-open doors slam shut, and the money—along with the reputation—disappears overnight.
So here’s the lesson: in venture capital, social currency is powerful—but it’s not a substitute for actual returns. The next time someone like Kriti Sehgal tries to sell you access instead of results, take a step back. Because the only thing worse than missing out on an investment is realizing you were the investment all along.