The Maldives Police Service (MPS) has successfully retrieved 98% of the USD116,000 that was unlawfully withdrawn from an individual's account.
During a press conference, Head of the Economic Crime Department, Superintendent of Police Abdulla Rasheed disclosed that a case was reported on February 13 regarding the unauthorised transfer of USD116,000 from one account to two others. He noted that within 48 hours of receiving the complaint, 98% of the funds had been recovered through investigations conducted across various banks, business transactions, and the residence of the suspected individual.
Additionally, Rasheed revealed that the unauthorised withdrawal was executed using the complainant's phone password and someone with access to their accounts. Subsequently, he said that three out of four suspects, including two men and a woman, have been arrested. In addition, he said that a 16-year-old boy is implicated in the case. He also suspects are currently being transferred to the Prosecutor General's Office (PGO) for further legal proceedings.
Meanwhile, Head Inspector of Police Mariyam Azma from the Fraud Investigation Unit detailed that mobile phones and electronic devices were used in the money withdrawal process. She indicated that USD84,000 was retrieved from the accused's bank account, along with USD9,900 in cash and USD15,000 worth of purchased items, bringing the total recovered amount to USD108,000 out of the initially lost USD116,000. She also said that the recovered funds are set to be returned to the rightful owner.
Moreover, Sergeant Abdulla Nadeem of the Economic Crime Department informed reporters that USD65,000 had been transferred to the first accused's account in five separate transactions, while USD52,000 was transferred to the second accused's account in four instances.
The MPS highlighted a recent increase in cases of fraud and extortion. The Economic Crime Department has emphasised that since 2021, more than USD4 million has been lost due to fraudulent money laundering schemes. A total of 1,087 cases of fraud and extortion were reported last year, according to police statistics.