An illegal money-changer, who left Macau after cheating a gambler out of HK$440,000 (US$56,620) in August last year, was arrested on Sunday when he re-entered Macau, Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesmen Leng Kam Lon said during a regular press conference on Tuesday.
Leng said that the suspect, a 38-year-old mainland man surnamed Zhang, claimed to be unemployed. The police are still investigating the whereabouts of the stolen money.
According to Leng, the male victim contacted Zhang on August 6 last year to exchange yuan into HK$440,000 for gambling in local casinos. After the victim transferred the corresponding amount of yuan to a bank account in the mainland according to Zhang’s instructions, the victim asked Zhang to deposit HK$440,000 into a VIP room account.No details were given about the victim.
But after Zhang received the money, he told the victim he would deposit the money but didn’t and instead did a vanishing act. The victim suspected he had been cheated and so reported the theft to the police.
The Judiciary Police confirmed that Zhang had meanwhile left Macau. On Monday at 12 noon, the suspect was arrested when he re-entered the city via the Barrier Gate checkpoint. Under questioning he refused to cooperate with the police, according to Leng.
The suspect was transferred to the Public Prosecution Office (MP) on Monday and faces a charge of fraud involving a considerable amount, officially defined as exceeding 150,000 patacas.
