Police have arrested a man accused of leading a scam through Facebook Marketplace.
Nadheef Mohamed, 36, of Rankokaage, Gaafu Alifu Gemanafushi, was taken into custody on Wednesday under a police warrant, police said.
During a search, cash cards, SIM cards, mobile phones, and both Maldivian rufiyaa and US dollars were seized, though the police did not specify the total amount recovered.
Nadheef is accused of extorting money by fraudulently claiming to sell goods via Facebook and directing payments into another person’s account. He is alleged to have repeatedly participated in planning such scams and collecting funds from scam networks, police said.
He was produced in court and ordered to remain in custody for five days pending further investigation.
Police said special efforts are underway to trace those involved in circulating money obtained through these scam networks. The Anti-Scam Center is leading the investigations.
