CRIME
FBI takes down Nigerian fraudsters in $46M case
Published
4 years agoon

The relationship between a Japanese woman and a U.S. Army captain stationed in Syria started online, through an international social network for digital pen pals. It grew into an internet romance over 10 months of daily emails.
It ended with the woman $200,000 poorer and on the verge of bankruptcy after borrowing money from her sister, ex-husband and friends to help Capt. Terry Garcia with his plan to smuggle diamonds out of Syria.
In reality, there were no diamonds and there was no Garcia — they were part of an elaborate scam hatched by an international ring of cyber thieves operating mainly out of Los Angeles and Nigeria.
Federal authorities cited the case of the Japanese woman, known only as “F.K.” in court papers, on Thursday when they announced an indictment charging 80 people with stealing at least $46 million through various schemes that targeted businesses, the elderly and anyone susceptible to a romance scam. Most of the defendants are Nigerian fraudsters.
“We believe this is one of the largest cases of its kind in U.S. history,” U.S. Attorney Nick Hanna told a news conference. “We are taking a major step to disrupt these criminal networks.”
The investigation began in 2016 with a single bank account and one victim, said Paul Delacourt, assistant director in charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles office. It grew to encompass victims who were targeted in the U.S. and around the world, some of whom like the Japanese woman lost hundreds of thousands of dollars.
“F.K. was and is extremely depressed and angry about these losses,” the federal complaint states. “She began crying when discussing the way that these losses have affected her.”
Her relationship began innocently in March 2016 with an email but soon “Garcia” made “romantic overtures,” according to federal authorities. He told her they couldn’t talk by phone because he wasn’t allowed to use one in Syria.
So a stream of emails went back and worth, with her using Google to translate his English into her Japanese. A month into the relationship, Garcia told her he’d found a bag of diamonds in Syria and he began introducing her to his associates, starting with a Red Cross representative who told her Garcia had been injured but had given him the box.
F.K. ultimately made 35 to 40 payments, receiving as many as 10 to 15 emails a day directing her to send money to accounts in the U.S., Turkey and the United Kingdom through the captain’s many purported associates.
The Nigerian fraudsters even threatened her with arrest if she did not continue to pay and at one point she travelled to Los Angeles because she was told a Russian bank manager had embezzled more than $33,000 of her funds.
Authorities arrested 14 defendants Thursday, mostly in the Los Angeles area. FBI agents could be seen processing suspects in a downtown Los Angeles parking lot before they were arraigned in federal court. It was not immediately known if they had attorneys who could speak on their behalf.
Two suspects were previously in custody and a few others were arrested earlier this week. Hanna said he hoped to be able to work with foreign governments to extradite the remaining Nigerian fraudsters.
They all face charges of conspiracy to commit fraud, conspiracy to launder money, and aggravated identity theft, and some are charged with additional offences for alleged fraud and money laundering.AOL
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CRIME
Barbara Rwodzi’s Alarming Encounter with an Assistant Inspector in the ZRP
Published
2 months agoon
19/07/2023
Chirumanzu South Member of Parliament (MP) Barbara Rwodzi has been recorded threatening to deal with an Assistant Inspector in the ZRP for daring to investigate a criminal case against one of her supporters.
In the audio recording the Deputy Minister of Environment, who is seeking a second term in office, is heard threatening to deal with the Charandura stationed officer and promising to take the matter as high as Police Commissioner General Godwin Matanga.
The officer is reportedly investigating one Fidelis “Danger” an ardent supporter of the Pan African Parliament (PAP) member accused of tearing CCC posters in the area.
Describing the officer as a dog, idiot, and fool, Rwodzi fails to demand evidence against her supporter.
“You are the one handling Danger’s case? What is his crime? Do you have evidence, I want it and when did he commit this crime,” asked Rwodzi.
“I am following everything you are doing. I am unlike all the other people you are used to talking to.
“You are failing to do your job as a police officer, on 12 July I was with him. As an Assistant Inspector and your seniors can you not sit and discuss matters before presenting them to Law and Order?
“You are a stupid idiot, you are an idiot, a dog. I want to finish you, I want to take you as far as Matanga’s office.”
Rwodzi’s conduct follows rape allegations placed on her PAP colleague and President Fortune Charumbira earlier this year.
The Assistant Inspector however stands his ground, telling her she has no legal right to demand that adding any other information in Danger’s defence can be used in court.
He explains why her Zanu PF supporter is being investigated and begs to understand the vitriol directed at him.
“Danger is accused of tearing CCC posters. I am working on this document so that I present it in court and do not know why I would give you all this information,” responds the officer.
“We have a witness and that he was not there on the day can be used as a defence in court. I do not understand stand what you say by ‘sitting down with my superiors before passing the matter to law and order.’
“I do not know why you are insulting me because I do not know how I am failing to do my job. You have to understand my mandate as a police officer.”
Chirumanzu is another one of Zimbabwe’s political hotbeds, with frequent attacks on opposition supporters recorded particularly towards elections.
Already party officials in the Mapiravana area are said to take down villagers’ names and mark registers with the assistance of Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) backed Forever Associates of Zimbabwe (FAZ).
CRIME
Acquittal for Former Manchester City Star Benjamin Mendy in Rape Trial
Published
3 months agoon
14/07/2023
The 28-year-old was accused of attacking a 24-year-old woman at his £4m mansion in Mottram St Andrew, Cheshire in October 2020.Mr Mendy was also accused of the attempted rape of another woman, aged 29, who said he had also molested her at his home two years before.It comes after he was cleared of six rapes at an earlier trial in January.
The France international broke down in tears as the not-guilty verdicts were read out by the jury foreman following a three-week trial at Chester Crown Court. The jury of six men and six women deliberated for about three hours and 15 minutes before reaching their conclusion. Judge Steven Everett said: “Mr Mendy can be discharged from the dock.”
The footballer, whose contract with Manchester City expired this month, was cleared at the earlier trial of six counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, relating to four young women or teenagers. But jurors failed to reach verdicts on two counts of rape and attempted rape, prompting a re-trial.
Benjamin Aina KC, prosecuting, claimed he had enjoyed parties at his home and on two occasions “took advantage” of female guests, while his wealth and celebrity status turned him into a man not used to being told “no”.The first complainant, woman A, a 29-year-old student, first met Mr Mendy while in a nightclub in Barcelona in late 2017 and she became intimate with one of his friends, the trial was told.
They kept in touch and a year later she arranged to visit Mr Mendy’s friend at the footballer’s house, where they stayed after they all went with other girls for a night out. The woman told the jury that the morning after, when she took a shower in the en-suite bathroom, Mr Mendy appeared uninvited, wearing just boxer shorts, and he was visibly “aroused”.
She alleged Mr Mendy then grabbed her and tried to rape her on the bed, despite her repeatedly telling him to stop. Mr Mendy told the jury the two were “flirting” during the night out and the next morning he went to her room and they began hugging on a bed. He said she told him she would not have sex with him because she was with his friend.
Mr Mendy said she then got upset when he told her he had already asked his friend who had told him it would be “OK”.He denied trying to rape her. Another complainant, woman B, told the trial she was out with friends at a bar in Alderley Edge, Cheshire, near Mr Mendy’s home when they were invited back to the footballer’s house in 2019.
The 24-year-old alleged Mr Mendy took her phone from her, which contained “intimate” photos, then led her to his locked bedroom, as she asked for her phone back. She told the jury Mr Mendy told her “I just wanna have a look at you” and told her to take her clothes off, which she did.
She said he threw her phone on the bed and when she went to retrieve it he raped her despite her telling him she did not want to have sex. The woman told the trial that afterwards Mr Mendy said to her: “You’re too shy. It’s fine. I’ve had sex with 10,000 women.”
Mr Mendy told the jury the woman had agreed to “play around” on the bed and denied raping her saying afterwards they swapped details to connect on Snapchat. Mr Aina, prosecuting, claimed Mr Mendy was not used to women saying no to him. He said: “You wanted women who came to your house to party, get drunk and have sex?”
Mr Mendy replied: “If they want.”I will never force to have sex with a woman.”After the hearing, his solicitor, Jenny Wiltshire, said: “Benjamin Mendy would like to thank the members of the jury for focussing on the evidence in this trial, rather than on the rumour and innuendo that have followed this case from the outset.
“This is the second time that Mr Mendy has been tried and found not guilty by a jury. He is delighted that both juries reached the correct verdicts.”She said Mr Mendy had “tried to remain strong” but the process had “inevitably had a serious impact on him”.He now wanted to ask for his privacy to be respected “so he can begin rebuilding his life,” Ms Wiltshire added.
BUSINESS
Breaking News: E-Creator Fraud Ring Leader Apprehended by Police
Published
3 months agoon
13/07/2023
The Zimbabwe Republic Police is requesting that individuals who have been deceived by E-Creator, Zhao Jiaotong come forward and report to the nearest police station.
According to police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi, the kingpin of the E-Creator Ponzi scheme has been arrested on charges of fraud. The suspect is identified as Chinese national Zhao Jiaotong, who is said to be the founder of the notorious platform that has scammed people out of thousands of dollars.
Nyathi stated, “The Zimbabwe Republic Police confirms the arrest of Zhao Jiaotong, 39, in connection with a case of fraud in which unsuspecting members of the public were duped through the E-Creator Ponzi scheme.”
The police are urging anyone who may have fallen victim to E-Creator to report to their nearest police station. Additionally, the public is encouraged to exercise caution and perform thorough research before investing in any Ponzi or pyramid schemes that promise quick returns.

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