SHAH ALAM: A couple who cheated over 1,000 investors of more than RM55 million though their 'digital camouflage uniform' investment scam was arrested by Selangor police here on Monday.
The husband and wife, aged 31 and 30, respectively, had been on the run since their victims lodged a police report in Sept last year.
Selangor police Commercial Crime Department deputy chief Superintendent Mazelan Paijan said a businessman with a ‘Datuk Wira’ title, and an unemployed woman, aged 30, were also detained in a special operation against the syndicate.
Mazelan said the syndicate had been active since Aug 2015, offering victims the chance to invest in the company’s non-existing project to supply military uniforms to the Defence Ministry.
Many of the victims are villagers in Terengganu, mostly in the Besut area where the main suspect hails from; as well as government servants, including titled VIPs, who are acquaintances of the Datuk Wira.
"The syndicate convinced their victims that the company (which belongs to the wife) had received a contract to supply camouflage uniforms to the military, but it was short of capital to meet the demand.
"The main suspect had used her former school friends and acquaintances to find downlines to acquire investments, and promised a profit return of between 30 and 50 per cent.
"In the early stages, there were victims who received their profit, which the syndicate derived from money deposited by later victims, and this cycle continued until they stopped paying the victims.
"Despite not receiving their promised returns, the victims waited, as they were told that the company had yet to receive payment from the ministry," Mazelan told reporters during a press conference at the state police headquarters here this morning.
He said the suspects had also forged official documents, including delivery order forms from the ministry to convince their victims.
Following a report lodged by a government servant in Sept last year, police launched investigations and went after the suspects.
It is learnt that the couple, who knew that their victims had lodged police reports, went on the run and moved houses many times in the Selangor area.
Mazelan said a special police team finally caught up with the couple at a house in Bukit Jelutong here during a raid on Monday.
Following the couple's arrest, police nabbed the Datuk Wira and the fourth suspect on Tuesday and Wednesday in Puchong and Kajang respectively.
"Police also seized a Mercedes Benz and a BMW from the suspects, along with many documents, including a book detailing their activities.
"From this, we know that at least 1,000 people fell victim to the syndicate, with a total loss of over RM55 million.
"Our investigation revealed that the suspects have eight additional luxury cars, including a Porsche, and properties gained through illegal means, but these were not registered under their names. We are working to identify the whereabouts of the vehicles, and also to identify the properties that they bought.
"Police are also looking for seven more suspects aged between 28 and 55," he said.
Mazelan stressed that those who are keeping the vehicles, or have the couple’s properties registered under their own names, are urged to come forward to facilitate investigations.
He said if they fail to do so, they can also be charged for abetting criminal activities and being in possession of stolen items.