Fake courier detained in Liberec, woman loses over 2 million crowns
Liberec detectives have detained a twenty-three-year-old foreigner who was collecting cash from the victim of an investment fraud. The district court in Liberec remanded him in custody; he faces up to five years in prison.
Investment fraud courier held in custody, police saved over 400,000 crowns
Liberec detectives detained a twenty-three-year-old foreigner on 7 October who showed up for a scheduled meeting with the injured woman in the role of a courier – and was expecting to collect more than 400,000 crowns in cash from her. Instead of an envelope with money, he received handcuffs. According to policie.gov.cz, the man was remanded in custody.
The fraud had been ongoing for some time. An unknown person contacted the injured woman by phone and email and persuaded her into what was described as advantageous investing. The woman gradually handed over a total of more than 2 million crowns in cash to the courier. The courier was promised financial compensation for collecting packages and depositing cash into deposit machines.
After the woman waited in vain three times for the promised investment returns, on the fourth occasion she decided to call the police. Officers detained the courier and prevented the transfer of further money.
Detectives initiated criminal prosecution for the offence of fraud in the form of aiding and abetting the day after detention, on 8 October. It is not ruled out that the case will be expanded with further charges. Two days after detention, on Friday 9 October, the district court in Liberec remanded the young man in custody. Police stated that the courier had been involved in other cases across the Czech Republic and there was a presumption that he would continue his activities or escape abroad. He faces imprisonment of up to five years.
Liberec detectives dealt with a similar case earlier this year in spring. Then they managed to detain another courier of foreign nationality and prevent the transfer of 650,000 crowns. However, the injured party had managed to hand over more than one million crowns to the fraudsters in the preceding days. A state prosecutor at the district state prosecution office in Liberec filed an indictment last month against a twenty-one-year-old foreigner.
Similar fraudulent schemes typically involve several accomplices with division of roles. One communicates with the victim, creates an impression of advantageous investment opportunities and instructs them to transfer money. At the same time they coordinate couriers. The courier collects the cash and passes it to the next person in the chain, or deposits it into a deposit machine themselves.
Police warn that both deliberate and negligent money laundering from criminal proceeds is punishable.
Source: Google News CZ — Crime (cs)