Law enforcers have arrested a Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) soldier as part of an ongoing investigation into a sophisticated phishing scam that defrauded the National Commercial Bank (NCB) of over $47 million dollars.
The Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency (MOCA) says the arrest was made this morning by its officers, collaborating with the Counter Terrorism and Organised Crime Branch (CTOC) of the Jamaica Constabulary Force.
It says the soldier is suspected to be part of an organised criminal syndicate.
It is alleged that between April and June 2022, the funds were illegally accessed from a number of accounts held at NCB, via an online phishing scam.
The stolen money was subsequently transferred to various beneficiary accounts, which have since been used to withdraw the funds or further transfer them to other banking institutions.
MOCA says the soldier was picked up approximately 10 a.m. today, and taken to his residence in Kingston which was subsequently searched.
An address linked to another suspect who is currently in custody was also searched. A number of electronic devices were seized during the search and charges are expected to be laid shortly.
Director of Communications at MOCA, Major Basil Jarrett, says “this morning’s arrest highlights the commitment of MOCA and its law enforcement partners to dismantling organised crime networks and holding accountable those involved in complex financial crimes. It also underscores the importance of collaboration between intelligence, investigative, and technological capabilities in tackling cyber-enabled financial crimes.”
Major Jarrett is also thanking the JDF for its collaboration on the matter, noting its zero-tolerance approach towards illicit activities of its members.
“The JDF has a long history of discipline and integrity and is determined to preserve that reputation. Their support and partnership on this case was invaluable,” he adds.
Belinda Williams, Corporate Affairs Lead at NCB, is praising the efforts of the law enforcement teams, noting that, over the past five years, the bank’s customers have been impacted by phishing and smishing scams.
“These are matters that we at NCB take very seriously and as such we take great steps to educate and inform our customers about online safety. This, along with our efforts to report these incidents to law enforcement for investigation and appropriate action, have helped in these arrests today and we applaud the efforts of the MOCA and CTOC teams for their efforts in actively taking steps to safeguard our citizens and businesses,” she says.
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