An illegal currency exchange dealer was arrested on Thursday for defrauding a man out of 88,650 yuan (103,930 patacas) with fake money, Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Ho Chan Nam said at a press conference yesterday.
The 24-year-old jobless male suspect from the mainland is surnamed Zeng.
According to Ho, the Public Security Police (PSP) referred a fraud case to the Judiciary Police on Thursday, in which a male mainlander had been cheated by a currency exchange dealer out of 88,650 yuan. The victim told PJ officers that he met the suspect in a hotel lobby in Cotai earlier that day. The victim later struck a deal with Zeng to exchange 88,650 yuan for HK$100,000.
The victim then transferred the money from his mainland bank account to Zeng’s bank account. Afterwards, Zeng gave him a stack of Hong Kong notes all printed with the same serial number and the phrase in Chinese: “Film props, prohibited from circulation”.
Prop money is a fake replica of real cash.
The victim immediately reported the case to the police and Zeng was arrested at the scene. Under questioning, Zeng admitted to defrauding the victim and claimed that a mainlander from Zhuhai had given him the fake notes who told him that he would be paid 50,000 to 60,000 yuan should the deal succeed.
Zeng has been transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP), facing a fraud charge, according to Ho.
Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Ho Chan Nam looks on during yesterday’s regular press conference.
– Photo: William Chan
