Indian-American entrepreneur Akash Singhania, who was recently at the centre of an online controversy, is the founder and CEO of Hotbox Vending LLC, according to his LinkedIn profile. The Dallas-based company provides vape, THC and other alternative product vending solutions across the United States.The company operates a franchise network that deploys vending machines across venues such as bars, nightclubs and casinos.Singhania came into the spotlight after he was wrongly accused of predatory behaviour during a livestreamed “sting operation” conducted by Russian YouTuber Vitaly Zdorovetskiy in California.Related news: ‘Damage already done’: Indian-American man wrongly accused of child predator in viral ‘sting operation’ speaks out after police clear himFollowing the incident, Singhania contacted authorities himself, and the Santa Ana Police Department later cleared him, describing it as a case of being at the “wrong place at the wrong time”.After the investigation, Vitaly issued a public apology, admitting his team “messed up” due to a mix-up involving Snapchat messages.Although he was exonerated, Singhania said the viral incident caused lasting damage to his professional relationships and reputation.