BY JEFFREY DAMICOG
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has arrested two persons for defrauding their victims of almost P3 million in an investment scam.
NBI Officer-In-Charge Eric Distor identified the two arrested suspects as Shagoptha Bashir Khan Punzalan and Rosenda Mohammad Jimenez.
The duo were arrested during an entrapment operation conducted by the NBI’s Anti- Organized and Transnational Crime Division (NBI-AOTCD) on Aug. 14 in Manila.
Following their arrest, the suspects were presented for inquest before the Manila Prosecutor’s Office for estafa in violation of the Revised Penal Code (RPC) in relation to Republic Act 10175, the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
The NBI said the operation was conducted based on the complaints of their victims.
“According to the complaints, subject Sha induced them to invest in her Cash Energy (Payday Loans) Services with a promise of high interest returns in merely weeks,” the NBI said.
“Complainants invested a total amount of P2,870,000 with pertinent documents acknowledged by Sha,” it added.
After giving their investments, the victims were issued bank checks as assurance for returns.
“Most of the checks bounced for reason that they were drawn against a closed account,” the NBI said. (Jeffrey Damicog)
