An insurance agent has been arrested for providing his bank account to a fraud gang for money laundering, Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Chan Wun Man said during a special press conference yesterday.
The 39-year-old local man is surnamed Cheang.
According to Chan, a woman reported to the police last December that she had lost 1.44 million patacas in an online investment scam. The police later discovered that part of the money was deposited into a bank account registered in Cheang’s name, and found out that four more locals, who also had their money transferred to Cheang’s account, had fallen victim to a similar scam. Chan said that the five victims were separately scammed out of a total of 2.8 million patacas.
Cheang was apprehended earlier this week when he attempted to leave Macau through the Qingmao Port checkpoint. Under questioning, he admitted to having been recruited by a criminal gang last November, and provided his bank account to help them collect fraudulent funds. He told the police that he had received 10,000 patacas from the gang as a reward so far, claiming that he had used the money to repay gambling debts.
Cheang was transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office yesterday, facing money laundering and fraud charges, according to Chan.
The hooded local insurance agent is escorted by Judiciary Police (PJ) officers to a PJ vehicle parked outside the PJ headquarters in Zape yesterday. – Photo: William Chan
