A considerable amount of the funds has been recovered in relation to a case involving the extortion of MVR 1.8 million from an MIB bank account, which was facilitated through compromising the victim's phone. Several individuals have been arrested.
A considerable amount of the funds has been recovered in relation to a case involving the extortion of MVR 1.8 million from a Maldives Islamic Bank account, which was facilitated through compromising the victim's phone. Several individuals have been arrested in relation to this case.
During a press briefing in Iskandhar Koshi on Tuesday, Superintendent of Police Abdulla Rasheed, the Head of the Economic Crime Department, revealed that the funds were siphoned through an individual with knowledge of the phone and MIB app passwords.
Four individuals, including a 16-year-old boy, stand accused in this case, with three already taken into custody. It has been reported that the boy has familial ties to the victim.
Subsequently, a 24 year old woman, a 24 year old man, and a 23 year old man were apprehended.
Rasheed mentioned that 98 percent of the misplaced funds were successfully retrieved within 48 hours of filing the complaint. A sum of MVR 1.6 million was recovered through visits to businesses where the individuals spent amounts of the money and a raid conducted at the residence of one of the accused, as reported by the police.
The authorities stated that the pilfered funds were utilized to acquire mobile phones, electronic devices, birds, and watches within a span of nine days.
Highlighting the escalating occurrences of scams, Rasheed emphasized that it cannot be conclusively attributed solely to individuals behind bars. He noted a pattern of transferring money from the victim's account, with the investigation revealing that these transactions occurred during prayer times.
Inspector of Police Mariyam Rasheedha, Head of Fraud Investigation, stated, "Upon thorough examination of the case, we have not identified any negligence on the part of MIB."
Sergeant Abdulla Nadeem, the investigating officer, revealed that the misappropriated funds were transferred in two layers to the accounts of three individuals. The largest sum was sent to Suspect 1, amounting to MVR 1 million sent five times to the man's account.
Nadeem further explained that upon filing the complaint with the police, the suspects promptly transferred money from one of their accounts to another, but these funds have now been frozen.
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