OPERATIVES of the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG) have arrested two Israelis, an American and two Filipinos for alleged involvement in crypto currency scam activities during a raid in Pasig City on Wednesday night.
The ACG named the foreigners as Shay Semo alias Shai, Chen Keren alias Novick and Chen Benjamin Keren, both Israelis; and Aron Dermer, alias Aaron and Shoes, an American.
They are said to be the owners of the establishment at No. 61B, San Juan Capitolyo in Pasig City, which police raided by virtue of a warrant to search, seize, and examine computer data issued by a Makati City judge.
Also arrested were Filipino employees Marie Mizukami, 35; and Krizza Garcia, 24, both residents of Parañaque City. The two are said to be in-charge of finding victims.
“During implementation, hereunder arrested persons (were) caught in the act while conducting online fraud where their chat scripts and conversations was evidently seen in their system units,” ACG said in a report.
Seized during the raid were 24 laptop computers, 16 “system units,” 16 cellphones, a tablet, assorted foreign and Philippine currency bills, assorted identification cards and membership cards, and other items used in the illegal activity.
Prior to the operation, ACG said it received a complaint from one “Amere” about alleged crypto currency scam activities of the foreign nationals at the establishment.
After validating the information, the ACG applied for a search warrant from Makati City Judge Andres Bartolome Soriano, leading to the raid at around 6:58 p.m. on Wednesday.
ACG spokeswoman Capt. Michelle Sabino said the suspects will be facing charges for violation of Republic Act 10175 or the Anti-Cybercrime Prevention Act.
Sabino said American citizen Dermer will also be charged with obstruction of justice after he tried to destroy an evidence – a flash drive.
Meanwhile, Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco yesterday said nine more Filipinos were rescued from online and sex trafficking rings in Thailand and Malaysia and repatriated to the country.
Tansingco said the victims arrived in two batches from Malaysia and Thailand last May 9 and May 11, respectively.
Tansingco said the batch from Bangkok left the country in the last quarter of 2022 as tourists and were promised jobs as customer service agents with a pay range P40,000 to P60,000.
“Like other cases of human trafficking in the Southeast Asian region, the victims were transported to Mae Sot City, Myanmar to be forced to work in online love scams and crypto rings,” Tansingco said.
He said the victims recounted how they had to endure physical torture for not meeting their quota.
“They were also detained until they could pay ransom for their release,” the BI chief added.
He said the human traffickers recruited the victims through Facebook where they offered them “high-paying jobs.”
The other batch of repatriates are composed of three passengers who left the country for Malaysia via boat through Zamboanga and Tawi-Tawi.
“According to the victims, they all left the country in the last quarter of 2022 to work as massage therapists in Miri, Malaysia. Little did they know that they would be forced to engage in sex work in spa parlors offering ‘extra service’,” Tansingco said.
The victims, Tansingco said, also claimed they were forced to clean restrooms at a police station where they were also verbally abused after they were rescued by the Malaysian police.
They eventually managed to contact the Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, which then assisted them in their repatriation.
“Upon their arrival in Manila, they disclosed that they were recruited by “Cherry,” “Juvy,” and “Lorena” who facilitated their departures to evade inspection in the ports of Zamboanga and Tawi-Tawi,” he added. — With Ashzel Hachero
