Three more arrested and charged in multimillion-dollar NCB phishing scam, granted $450,000 bail - MOCA
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Three more persons have been arrested and charged by the Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency (MOCA) as part of its investigation into the $47.5 million phishing scam at the National Commercial Bank (NCB).
MOCA, in a media release on Thursday, said 29-year-old Pajie Hibbert of Bay Farm Road, St Andrew; 26-year-old Sherika Pink-Oates of Rainford Road, Kingston; and 25-year-old Howalyn Petterson of Bushy Park, St Catherine, were taken into custody this morning during a series of coordinated operations.
The agency said they were charged with various breaches of the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) and the Cybercrimes Act, including engaging in a transaction involving criminal property, facilitating the use of criminal property, acquisition of criminal property, accessing a computer programme or data held in a computer with intent to commit an offence, and conspiracy to defraud.
MOCA said the three accused subsequently appeared before the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court, where they were each granted $450,000 bail.
They are to return to court on June 26.
Director of Communications at MOCA, Major Basil Jarrett, indicated that more than 20 persons have been arrested so far in connection with the investigation, which relates to activities that took place between April and June 2022.
According to MOCA, the suspects are believed to be part of an organised crime syndicate that targeted 16 NCB accounts in a sophisticated phishing scam and transferred more than $47.5 million from NCB customers to several unauthorised beneficiaries’ accounts.
“This latest arrest and the ongoing investigations demonstrate just how wide this organised criminal network appears to be. But it also demonstrates MOCA’s resolve to bring everyone involved before the courts,” said Jarrett.
He added that fraud and other cybercrimes of this nature are high on MOCA’s agenda due to their increasing occurrence in the criminal underworld.
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