A male and female gambler from the Chinese mainland were apprehended yesterday for defrauding a female illegal currency exchange dealer out of 400,000 yuan (453,000 patacas), Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Leng Kam Lon said during a regular press conference yesterday.
Leng identified the suspect as a 38-year-old male surnamed Wang and a 31-year-old female surnamed Fu; both claimed to be jobless.
According to Leng, the victim was introduced to Wang and Fu through an acquaintance and met them on Sunday to discuss an illegal currency exchange deal, in which they agreed to exchange HK$500,000 in cash for 458,500 yuan.
Leng noted that Wang and Fu met the victim again at a casino in Cotai on Monday for the illegal transaction. Fu first showed the victim her Alipay account balance, which appeared to have sufficient funds for the transaction, thereby gaining the victim’s trust. The victim then handed over HK$500,000 in cash to Wang. Shortly thereafter, the victim discovered that only 58,500 yuan had been received in her mobile account. Fu then falsely claimed that the account had reached the daily transaction limit and used various excuses to delay the transfer. Suspecting she had been scammed, the victim reported the case to the police early yesterday morning.
The police intercepted Fu and the victim at the scene and later apprehended Wang in the casino, where he had already gambled away all the money fraudulently obtained from the victim. The police seized two mobile phones from the two suspects.
Leng added that the Alipay account shown by Fu to the victim was actually a blocked account incapable of conducting any transactions, and the displayed balance was merely a ruse to deceive the victim.
The duo have been transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP), each facing a fraud charge.
Leng said that the police would initiate a separate investigation into the victim’s involvement in illegal currency exchange activities.
Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Leng Kam Lon looks on during yesterday’s regular press conference. – Photo: Ada Lei
