Under Coverist

A Jharkhand man, Jafir Ansari, was arrested in Chennai for allegedly defrauding a person of Rs5 lakh in a matrimonial scam, police said on Monday. The accused posed as a representative of a matrimonial website to deceive the victim and steal money. The incident came to light when the victim filed a complaint with the Cyber Crime Police Station (South). According to the complainant, Rs1,988 was automatically debited from his bank account on December 2, as part of the matrimonial site's auto-pay feature. The victim became suspicious and tried to deactivate the feature by searching for the platform's customer care number online. After finding a contact number listed online, he called the number and received a return call. Growing more suspicious, the victim contacted his bank's customer care to close his account. However, by the time he reached the bank, Rs5 lakh had already been withdrawn from his account. An FIR was registered, and a police team led by Inspector Naveen Kumar...

Two men have been arrested in connection with the suspected murders of Daniel (Danny) Poole, 46, and his son Liam Poole, 22, who disappeared in 2019. The father and son from Burgess Hill, East Sussex, went missing during a trip to Malaga, Spain, and their case was reclassified as a murder investigation in 2022 due to suspicious circumstances. The arrests were made this week, with a man in his 30s from West Sussex and a man in his 40s from Merseyside taken into custody on suspicion of their involvement in the Poole family’s deaths. Both men have been questioned and released under investigation as the inquiry continues. Detectives are urging anyone with information about the disappearance to come forward. A £10,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the murders. Detective Chief Inspector Simon Dunn emphasized the significance of any potential information: “Although Danny and Liam went missing in Spain, we believe there...

Polish authorities have arrested Dmitry V., a Russian man connected to the defunct WEX cryptocurrency exchange. The arrest took place in the Wola district of Warsaw, carried out by the "Shadow Hunters," an elite unit from Poland's Central Bureau of Police Investigation (CBŚP). This operation was based on an extradition warrant issued by the U.S. Department of Justice. Dmitry V. is suspected of being involved in fraudulent activities and money laundering related to the WEX exchange, which was one of the largest crypto platforms in Russia before its closure in 2018. The WEX exchange collapsed, leading to losses of hundreds of millions of dollars. Some sources have speculated that the exchange may have been used for money laundering, potentially even funding political or military operations linked to Russian government interests. Polish media have also raised concerns about possible Kremlin connections in the misuse of WEX to finance these operations. This is not the first t...

Two men have been sentenced to a combined 44 years in prison for the murder of 20-year-old Bradley Hutchins and the serious injury of his 19-year-old brother, Calum. Shane Canavan, 23, and his half-brother Joshua Langley, 29, both from Greyfields Close in Purley, were sentenced to life in prison with minimum terms of 23 years and 21 years, respectively, for their roles in the fatal stabbing. The tragic incident occurred on September 12, 2023, when police responded to reports of a violent confrontation involving weapons on North Walk in New Addington. Officers arrived at the scene to find both Bradley and Calum, who had been repeatedly stabbed. Despite efforts to save Bradley, he was pronounced dead, while Calum survived but sustained serious injuries. Canavan was arrested on September 16, and Langley was apprehended the following day. Forensic evidence recovered from the scene, including a crowbar, a monkey wrench, a knife, and a balaclava, linked the pair to the crime. The brothers ha...

A lookout notice has been issued against Ravi Kumar Jain, one of the directors of DG Mudhra Connect, who is accused of defrauding investors of a staggering Rs1.77 crore. The notice was issued by the Special Task Force (STF) after it was revealed that the fraudster had fled the city. The scam unfolded when Prakash Chand Jain and Ravi Kumar Jain, both residents of Jaipur, opened an office in Bhopal under the name of DG Mudhra Connect. They promised investors high returns, claiming they could double their money in a short period. They successfully managed to collect Rs1.77 crore from investors who trusted their promises. However, when the time came to return the money along with the promised returns, the two directors fled, leaving their investors in financial distress. Following the complaints registered by investors, a case was filed against the firm and its directors in August. While Prakash Chand Jain was arrested by STF sleuths last month, Ravi Kumar Jain managed to escape. Authoriti...

The first photo of Nash Clyne, a 33-year-old father of three, has been shared following his tragic death after being chased by a gang armed with tomahawk axes in West London. Mr. Clyne was fatally attacked early Sunday morning when a group, armed with glass bottles and an axe, pursued him through the streets of Acton. The police responded to reports of a fight just after 4 a.m. and discovered the victim on Birbeck Road, having staggered about 100 meters from the High Street. He was found severely wounded and later died from his injuries. As news of his death spreads, tributes from his friends and family have poured in. Shevonte Thomas, a childhood friend of Mr. Clyne, shared fond memories of him, saying, “He was a great, cool guy. He had three kids, loved cooking, and playing football when we were young. I don’t know how this could have happened. He was always quiet and nice.” Carlos Davis, a friend of Mr. Clyne, posted on Facebook, “Oh my god, what happened? RIP young bro, sleep with ...

Two individuals, Shakeel Mohammed and Sunil Prajapat, were arrested in Alwar, Rajasthan, for their involvement in a fraudulent online scam. The accused are allegedly behind the creation of fake Facebook profiles, one of which impersonated Bhopal's top cop, Harinarayanachari Mishra, the city's Police Commissioner. The fraudsters used these profiles to deceive the public and extort money. The Bhopal Crime Branch Deputy Commissioner of Police, Akhil Patel, confirmed the arrests and stated that the police would seek further custody of the suspects to deepen the investigation into their methods. The scam came to light on November 5 when a 48-year-old businessman reported to the cybercrime cell that he had been scammed of Rs45,000. The victim had received a message on Facebook, supposedly from the Police Commissioner, claiming he was selling old furniture. Believing the message to be legitimate, the businessman made a payment via an online QR code provided by the fraudster. The polic...

A tragic incident unfolded outside the Whitgift shopping centre in Croydon, London, on September 27, 2023, when 15-year-old Elianne Andam was fatally stabbed. Elianne was killed while standing up for a friend who wanted her teddy bear back from her ex-boyfriend, Hassan Sentamu, who was 17 at the time. Sentamu, now 18, is on trial for the murder of Elianne, though he has pleaded guilty to manslaughter. The court heard how Sentamu chased Elianne, cornered her, and repeatedly stabbed her with a kitchen knife. After the attack, he fled the scene and disposed of the weapon, but was arrested less than 90 minutes later. The prosecution revealed that Elianne and her group of friends had gone to meet Sentamu in a car park before school to exchange personal belongings with her ex. However, when Sentamu arrived empty-handed, Elianne grabbed a plastic bag from him in solidarity with her friend, triggering a violent response. Sentamu chased and cornered her, delivering a fatal blow to her neck that...

NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — The death of an 81-year-old grandmother at a Norfolk senior living facility has been ruled a homicide, and her daughter and grandson are now facing charges. On Monday, Heather Cummings, 53, and her son Cliffton Cummings, 24, appeared in Norfolk court for their preliminary hearings. On June 30, Norfolk police responded to Commonwealth Senior Living on Poplar Hall Drive after a report of an unresponsive patient. The woman was later identified as Cleo A. Loizides, mother and grandmother to Heather and Cliffton. Both were subsequently charged with second-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. Authorities say the suspects confessed to their involvement in the crime. In her confession, Heather Cummings stated that she held her mother down while urging her to “just let go, it’s for the best,” as her son, Cliffton, strangled the victim using a strap from his bag. It was also revealed that the pair had traveled from Indiana to Virginia to carry out the murder. On M...

Attorney General Dana Nessel Announces Major Human Trafficking Bust in Detroit Detroit, Michigan (WILX) – Attorney General Dana Nessel held a press conference on December 6 to reveal the successful takedown of a significant international human trafficking ring operating in the Detroit area. Nessel, alongside Michigan State Police and Homeland Security, confirmed that search and arrest warrants were executed at four massage parlors in Wayne and Macomb Counties, leading to the arrest of four individuals and the dismantling of the trafficking network. “This operation has ended one of the largest human trafficking rings we’ve ever uncovered in Michigan,” said Nessel. “Thanks to the incredible efforts of several law enforcement agencies, we have taken down four illicit massage parlors and freed multiple trafficking victims from forced labor and exploitation.” The investigation led police to discover 7 to 9 women of Chinese and Korean descent in the targeted locations, though authorities wer...

TORONTO — A Toronto resident who lost $355,000 in a romance cryptocurrency scam has successfully recovered $225,000 following a three-year international investigation, according to Toronto police. The fraud began in June 2021 when the victim reportedly started an online relationship with a man named "Moshe Theodor McNigh" through Facebook. Over time, the suspect allegedly convinced the victim to invest in cryptocurrency via the website Legacyfxtraders.online. In the fall of 2021, Nigerian law enforcement informed the victim that they had been defrauded in the cryptocurrency scheme and arrested a man linked to the fraud. The Nigerian authorities seized the fraudulent proceeds, some of which were identified as belonging to the Toronto resident. Nigerian courts later ordered the funds to be returned to the victim. This recovery followed a multi-unit investigation involving the Toronto Police, Ontario Provincial Police, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and Nigeria's Economic an...

In a shocking case of fraud, a man was arrested in Nashik, Maharashtra, for allegedly swindling a resident from Tamil Nadu out of Rs5 crore by falsely promising him a gubernatorial position. The accused, Niranjan Kulkarni, was taken into police custody on Monday following an investigation into the complaint filed by the victim. The victim, identified as Narsimha Reddy Damodar Reddy Apoori, a Chennai resident, was reportedly convinced by Kulkarni in January that he could secure a high-ranking political post. Kulkarni claimed to have extensive political connections and assured Reddy of being appointed to a gubernatorial position in exchange for a service fee of Rs15 crore. To further the deception, Kulkarni presented forged property documents as proof of his credibility, leading Reddy to trust him. Between February and April, Reddy transferred Rs60 lakh in cash and an additional Rs4.48 crore via bank transfers to Kulkarni as part of the deal. However, as the months passed, Reddy began to...

Jury selection for the trial of Tyler Witham-Jordan, accused of murdering his then-girlfriend’s three-year-old daughter, began on Tuesday in Lincoln County Superior Court. Witham-Jordan, from Edgecomb, faces charges of depraved indifference murder related to the death of Makinzlee Handrahan on Christmas morning, 2022. The child was reportedly killed by blunt-force trauma. Court clerks stated that jury selection for the case, State of Maine vs. Tyler Witham-Jordan, is expected to last two days. According to court documents, Witham-Jordan’s DNA was found on several items connected to the crime scene, including under the victim's fingernails, on a broken hairbrush, and on various objects like a towel, shirt, and the child’s diaper. Blood spots were also found on the bathroom wall. Earlier this September, Witham-Jordan’s defense attorney, Jim Howaniec, contested the inclusion of DNA evidence, claiming that Witham-Jordan’s DNA could have been naturally present in the home, given that he...

CENTRAL, LA — A former Central Police lieutenant, Huey Haley, who was arrested in October for allegedly falsifying timesheets and defrauding the department of over $7,500, is now facing new accusations of paycheck fraud dating back to 2020. Following a review of payroll records for the past four years, Central Police investigators discovered evidence suggesting that Haley had "double-dipped" — receiving pay from both extra-duty employers and the police department for the same hours. Investigators estimate that Haley claimed 1,400 hours of work he never performed, amounting to about $24,000 in fraudulent pay. Despite the new findings, police announced that Haley would not be re-arrested for these additional offenses. Instead, they have forwarded their evidence to the District Attorney for potential prosecution. Central Mayor Wade Evans has requested the state legislative auditor to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the police department following these developments. H...

Operatives of the Uyo Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested 22 suspected internet fraudsters during a sting operation on Friday, December 6, 2024. The arrests took place in Umuagu and Olokoro, located in Abia State. The EFCC recovered several valuable items from the suspects, including six exotic cars, eight laptops, and 36 mobile phones. The suspects are currently under investigation and will be charged in court once the investigation is concluded. Additionally, the EFCC announced the conviction of Aisha Wakil, known as "Mama Boko-Haram," along with two others, for their involvement in a financial crime. The trio was sentenced to five years imprisonment without an option of a fine. Wakil, the Chief Executive Officer of the Complete Care and Aid Foundation, along with Programme Manager Tahiru Saidu Daura and Country Director Prince Lawal Shoyode, were re-arraigned on September 1, 2020, on charges of conspiracy, cheating, and pr...

Michael Higgins, a 42-year-old from Livingston, has been sentenced to three years and 10 months in prison for defrauding £18,225 from 15 victims between 2020 and 2022. The West Lothian conman used a series of elaborate lies to deceive friends, online dating partners, and even an elderly woman to fund his internet gambling addiction. Higgins targeted a woman he met on an online dating site, convincing her to hand over £6,160 by fabricating a story about needing money to help his sister with expensive vet bills. He also duped another woman into paying £350 for an Apple iPad Pro that was never delivered, despite claiming he could get the product through his work with a finance company. In one of his more callous scams, Higgins convinced a pensioner to transfer £6,490 to him, falsely claiming he needed the money to attend a private hospital in London for surgery. The elderly woman made 127 separate cash transactions over a two-year period. In addition to these personal deceptions, Higgins ...

JAMAICA — A police constable is among six individuals arrested last week by the Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency (MOCA) in connection with a multi-million dollar smishing scam that targeted an elderly customer of the National Commercial Bank (NCB). The six were arrested between Tuesday and Wednesday, December 3-4, and charged with multiple offenses, including breaches of the Proceeds of Crime Act and the Larceny Act. Police Constable Marlando Ro, aged 35, from Clarendon, was also hit with an additional charge of Facilitating the Use of Criminal Property. According to Major Basil Jarrett, Director of Communications at MOCA, the suspects are believed to be part of a larger cyber-enabled crime group. He emphasized that the agency remains committed to dismantling and disrupting organized criminal enterprises in the country. The six accused individuals are set to appear in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court on Wednesday, December 11. Names of those charged: Marlando Ro ...

Bilaspur police have arrested two individuals involved in an online money fraud case of Rs 54.30 lakh, meanwhile a third accused is still at large. The arrests took place in Alwar, Rajasthan, as police conducted additional raids. The arrests stem from a complaint filed by 71-year-old Jai Singh Chandel, a retired government officer residing in Agyeyanagar, Civil Line. According to the police report, Chandel was duped out of Rs 54.30 lakh after being threatened with false charges of involvement in pornography and money laundering. The accused posed as Enforcement Directorate (ED) officers and extorted money from the victim in instalments of 20 days, police stated. The fraud occurred in July of last year. Bilaspur Superintendent of Police Rajnesh Singh reported that following the filing of the FIR, police conducted a thorough investigation, utilizing mobile location data and transaction records to track down the suspects. Officers camped in Haryana and Alwar, leading to the arrests. The a...

GATESVILLE, NC — A Florida woman is currently in custody with a one million dollar cash bond after being arrested for her alleged role in a scam that targeted an elderly woman in Gates County. Gates County Sheriff Ray Campbell identified the suspect as Kelly Earley, a resident of Jacksonville, Florida. Earley faces felony charges of obtaining property by false pretense and felony conspiracy. Her initial court appearance is scheduled for Monday, Dec. 16. Sheriff Campbell explained that deputies received a report earlier last week from an elderly woman who claimed she had fallen victim to a scam. A day after the initial contact, the victim was contacted again by the scammer, who demanded even more money. “We were able to anticipate the next move,” said Campbell. “Through the phone calls between the scammer and the victim, arrangements were made for a ‘courier’ to pick up the money from the victim’s home on Friday, Dec. 6. Our deputies, along with agents from the North Carolina State Bure...

In a significant breakthrough, the anti-passport wing of the city police arrested six tour and travel operators for their involvement in a passport forgery scam. The arrests came after immigration officials uncovered several air passengers carrying passports obtained through fake documents. This led to an extensive investigation and the busting of the fraud network operating across different districts. The arrested individuals have been identified as: P. Satish Kumar, A. Kalyan, Nalla Mohammad, Nasar Ali ,Faisal Rahman, B. Kumar Kalyan ran Sai Tours and Travels in Madurai, Nalla Mohammad operated Metro Studio and Travels in Devakottai, and Faisal Rahman was behind Dheen-e-service in Othakadai. Naser Ali managed JK Air Travels, while B Kumar operated his travel agency in Samayanallur near Madurai. A police team led by CCB Inspector Sivamani conducted surprise raids on Saturday, seizing one laptop, two computers, six mobile phones, and 54 passports along with forged agreements between th...

Prasanna Nallalingam, believed to be the leader of a Sri Lankan motorcycle gang, is facing extradition to France after his arrest in Toronto earlier this year. Nallalingam, also known as Ajanthan Subramaniyam, is accused of orchestrating a gang-related murder and an attempted murder in La Courneuve, France, in September 2022. The charges stem from an alleged attack on rival gang members of the LC Boys. According to court documents, Nallalingam, 32, along with five associates, ambushed two individuals in a vehicle using sabres, machetes, and knives. One victim, Abiraman Balakirishnan, died from his injuries, while the other survived. At the time of the attack, Nallalingam was already a wanted fugitive in Sri Lanka for the 2021 killing of Sivakumaran Jeewarathna. He escaped Sri Lanka shortly after the murder, prompting Interpol to issue an international arrest warrant. Nallalingam had also faced previous convictions in France, including a 2019 sentence for violence and a 2021 sentence fo...

In a major breakthrough, police in Mandla district, Madhya Pradesh, arrested three cyber fraudsters from Gujarat, who were linked to over 48 cases of online scams totaling around Rs 7 crore. The arrested individuals, all residents of Gujarat, had been running a fraudulent operation involving fake call centers and deceptive online trading schemes. According to Rajat Saklecha, Superintendent of Police, the investigation began after a complaint from Ankush Jhariya, a resident of Anjaniya village. Jhariya reported receiving a message promising high returns from online trading. Intrigued, he contacted the number listed and transferred Rs 20,000 to open a trading account with a firm called "First Bank Limited." As Jhariya continued investing in the scheme, he deposited an additional Rs 17 lakh from his father's retirement savings, lured by promises of greater returns. However, when he tried to purchase an IPO through the app, he discovered a deficit of Rs 72 lakh in his account...

In a major breakthrough, the police have arrested 16 individuals across multiple cities, including Bengaluru, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Delhi, Faridabad, Lucknow, and Gurgaon, in connection with a fraudulent scheme that duped a chartered accountant’s daughter from Faridabad of Rs 7.6 crore. The scam was carried out under the guise of stock market investments promoted through Facebook links. The victim, who had been trading in the stock market for two years and worked alongside her father in a management company, received an enticing link on Facebook on January 4. The link led her to a WhatsApp group called “ICICI IR TEAM (57),” where members appeared to be generating impressive profits. Motivated by their apparent success, the victim decided to invest her own money. https://undercoverist.org/16-arrested-in-rs-7-6-crore-investment-fraud-case/?fsp_sid=28