The Judiciary Police (PJ) nabbed a man from the Chinese mainland for fraud totalling 100,00 yuan (116,000 patacas) on Tuesday, PJ spokesman Lei Chi Hou said during a regular press conference yesterday.
Lei identified the suspect as a 31-year-old businessman surnamed Xu.
On Tuesday, Lei said, a male victim from the Chinese mainland gambled away all his money at a casino in Cotai. He then contacted relatives and friends to borrow 100,000 yuan from them to continue gambling. However, Lei said that the victim’s bank account had reached its daily transfer limit, preventing him from receiving the funds.
Subsequently, near the casino, the victim encountered an acquaintance, Xu, who offered to receive the money on his behalf, according to Lei. Believing Xu to be trustworthy, the victim instructed his relatives and friends to transfer the funds to Xu’s mainland bank account.
After confirming receipt of the funds, Lei said that Xu led the victim around the casino area, claiming to be waiting for an illegal currency exchange dealer to arrive.
However, the victim finally became suspicious and realised that Xu might have no intention of arranging the currency exchange, according to Lei. When the victim requested a refund and was refused, he reported the case to the Judiciary Police at once.
Upon investigation, Lei said, PJ officers discovered that the funds had indeed been transferred to Xu’s bank account.
Xu claimed that he had used the 100,000 yuan to repay a debt. Lei said that PJ officers seized a smartphone suspected of being used in the commission of the crime from Xu.
Xu was transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP) recently, facing a fraud charge.
Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Lei Chi Hou look on during yesterday’s regular press conference.– Photo: Armindo Neves
