A 49-year-old unemployed local man was arrested for cheating 10 mainlanders out of 57,000 yuan (65,320 patacas) as fees for purportedly helping them to find jobs in Macau, Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Ho Chan Nam said during a regular press conference yesterday.
According to Ho, two women and a man from the mainland told the police in September 10, 2018 that they and seven other people had been cheated by a Macau resident surnamed Leong and his wife, a mainlander surnamed Chen.
Ho said that the couple told the victims that they could assist them in finding jobs in the city and prepare the necessary documents needed for them to move to Macau. Each victim paid the couple 5,000 to 6,000 yuan. In total, the victims paid the couple 57,000 yuan. However, after paying the “fees”, the victims were unable to contact the couple.
Upon further investigation, it was discovered that Leong has been living in the mainland since 2018. He was arrested by the police on Tuesday when he reentered the city through the Barrier Gate checkpoint.
Leong admitted he committed the crime, claiming that he had spent the 57,000 yuan on his living expenses, according to Ho.
Leong was transferred to the Public Prosecution Office (MP) yesterday and faces charges of fraud involving a considerable amount, officially defined as ranging between 30,000 and 150,000 patacas, according to Ho.
