Former employees ran side hustle using my brand: Diya Krishna

Actor and influencer Diya Krishna and her husband Aswin Ganesh have opened up about a betrayal by three of their former employees — women they once considered as close as family.
Diya said she never imagined such deception from people they trusted completely. She also addressed a viral video in which she was seen angrily confronting Divya over the phone. Diya admitted that she used harsh language, explaining that she was in a mentally fragile state at the time and asked the public for understanding.

In a video shared on Diya’s YouTube channel, Aswin said their only intention was to understand what had happened and how much money was lost. “We are open to admitting fault if we’ve done wrong — but betrayal from someone who was with us every day can’t be overlooked,” he said. “This was cheating, and we can't pretend it wasn’t.”

Diya revealed they initially chose not to name or expose the women involved, hoping to protect their future. “We thought they were young and didn’t want to destroy their lives. But after they admitted to the fraud, we expected honesty. From the moment we found out, we stayed quiet. But like they say, God sees everything.”

The couple learned that the women had been reselling Diya’s products in the U.S. through WhatsApp, taking payments without informing her. One transaction alone showed ₹55,000 going to Divya’s husband’s account. When confronted, Divya admitted they had taken ₹50,000 from just one customer. “If that’s one, how many more are there?” Diya asked. She added that the women were receiving extra perks beyond their salary, yet chose to run their own business behind her back.

Legal action has been taken. While the accused filed a countercase, it was their own video, recorded to defend themselves, that turned into key evidence against them. “Even though I yelled at them, they said nothing. That silence says it all,” Diya said.

She also condemned the attempt by some to twist the issue into a caste-based controversy. “If caste was an issue, why did I hire you? Why did I let you be part of my family events? One of you even placed a ring on my finger during my fifth-month celebration.”

The emotional impact, especially during pregnancy, was not easy to handle. “That phone call — I used every bad word I knew. I was pushed to that point. My unborn child heard all of it,” Diya said. “But I hope that by the time my baby is born, justice will be done.”