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Facebook lover swindles woman out of cash for ‘Money Laundering Certificate’
Kaieteur News – Another woman has fallen prey to trusting a ‘Facebook boyfriend’ whose motive was to rob her of cash. The Facebook lover managed to convince his victim into paying more than $140,000 for a “Money Laundering Certificate,” he claimed she needed to clear some expensive gifts he had sent for her from overseas.
Alleged third party in “Facebook Romance Scheme”, Patrick John Lewis
The matter was investigated by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), headed by Fizal Karimbaksh.
SOCU in a public statement labeled the incident as “another Facebook Romance Scheme” and related that its ranks had arrested a “third party” suspected in the fraudulent transaction.
SOCU identified the suspect as 56-year-old, John Patrick Lewis, of Williamsburg Village, Corentyne Berbice, Region Six.
According to the statement, Lewis was on Friday charged with conspiracy to defraud, at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court. The charge was read to him by the Magistrate Leron Daly, to which he pleaded not guilty.
He was represented by Attorney-at-Law, Euclin Gomes and granted $50,000 bail. Lewis is expected to return to court on September 2, 2022.
SOCU alleged that the victim met a Facebook boyfriend who won her trust and promised her some expensive gifts. The fake lover then instructed her to transfer some cash to four individuals, in order to ‘clear’ the package. Lewis was allegedly one of those individuals and via Western Union she sent him a total of $146,500 for, a “Money Laundering Certificate” to clear the gifts because they were very expensive.
The victim lost her money, and the boyfriend vanished but SOCU managed to nab Lewis as a suspect in the matter.
Earlier this week another man, Jaffon Hinds was charged for acting as a third party for swindling a woman out of half a million dollars to clear her package filled with expensive gifts.
SOCU’s boss, Fizal Karimbaksh, is once again reminding the public to be vigilant against ‘Package Delivery’ and ‘Romance Scams.’
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