A SUSPECT for investment fraud who allegedly collected as much as P17.8 million has been arrested in Kawit, Cavite, according to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
In a statement on Thursday, the NBI said the suspect was captured through an entrapment operation on June 9 following a complaint filed by the victim.
After the arrest, the suspect returned the money, which was supposedly an investment in what turned out to be a non-existent business.
The suspect is facing charges for violation of Article 315 of the Revised Penal Code in relation to the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
Under the law, swindling is considered a cybercrime if the violation was committed through the use of information and communications technologies.
Those convicted of fraud under the cybercrime law may face six to 12 years in prison and a fine of at least P200,000.
The suspect had contacted the victim through Facebook offering a “rare opportunity” to diversify funds and represented herself as the owner of “Frontier Freight Forwarders shipping importing company.” — John Victor D. Ordoñez