Thu, Jun 04, 2020 page3

• Prosecutors probe 92 arrested in Montenegro for fraud

  • By Chang Jui-chen and William Hetherington / Staff reporter, with staff writer
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  The Taichung District Prosecutors’ Office is investigating 92 fraud suspects arrested in Montenegro early this year, including one who is believed to have been forced into cooperating with the alleged scheme, prosecutors said yesterday.

  Prosecutors identified a woman “in her 20s” by the alias Hsiao Ping (小萍), who had been backpacking through Europe with her boyfriend when they ran out of money.

  They cited Hsiao Ping as saying that her boyfriend had found work for them in a telephone fraud ring, but did not tell her that the work was illegal, and after arriving at the workplace her passport was taken and she was prevented from going outside.

  

  An undated photograph shows Criminal Investigation Bureau personnel in Taipei escorting alleged members of a fraud ring who were extradited from Montenegro.

  Photo copied by Chang Jui-chen, Taipei Times

  The boyfriend claimed that the two were lured to Montenegro, which contradicts Hsiao Ping’s testimony, prosecutor Chang Shih-chia (張時嘉) said, but added that he believes she is telling the truth.

  Evidence shows that her boyfriend had earlier contact with the criminal organization that hired them, he said.

  Records confiscated at the time of the group’s arrest show that Hsiao Ping had the worst performance of all those arrested, which helps corroborate her story, Chang said.

  

  Montenegrin investigators transfer evidence of alleged fraud by Taiwanese suspects to Criminal Investigation Bureau officials in an undated photograph.

  Photo copied by Chang Jui-chen, Taipei Times

  Hsiao Ping claimed to have been scolded and told to write out 10 copies of a blackmail statement on numerous occasions due to her poor performance, he said.

  While the prosecutors maintain that she still committed fraud, they might seek to drop or reduce the charges against her due to the evidence that she was an unwilling participant in the fraud, he added.

  Montenegrin prosecutors had originally planned a raid for Jan. 1 to apprehend the group, which had been in operation since at least September last year, but were forced to postpone until Jan. 8 due to a lack of personnel, Chang said.

  The members of the alleged fraud ring were arrested one day before they were to receive their pay for that month, he said.

  When they were arrested, the jail was full, so a facility normally used to house asylum seekers was converted into a makeshift detention center, he added.

  Three Taiwanese lawyers traveled to Montenegro after the arrests, Chang said.

  The raid also resulted in the confiscation of NT$2 million (US$66,878), while another NT$6 million was seized from an alleged financial backer in Taiwan surnamed Chen (陳), Chang said, but added that an investigation into Chen was still ongoing and he had not been indicted.

  The group made NT$632.7 million through a scheme in which they pretended to be Chinese communications authorities, prosecutors or public security bureau officials requesting cash payments from victims because their identities had been used by criminals charged with money laundering, prosecutors said.

  Investigators also confiscated one property in Taichung, as well as cash, diamonds, luxury watches and other items at the property, and two vehicles — a Mercedes-Benz and a Toyota, Chang said, adding that the items were sold at auction yesterday.

  Chinese authorities had sought the extradition of the group, but were unsuccessful because Taiwanese investigators had already been working with Montenegrin authorities on the case, he said.
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