Recruited puppets to open accounts to clean up 1.4 billion yuan of criminal proceeds, police detained 13 people, including the backbone of the group

The "money laundering" group paid hundreds to tens of thousands of yuan to recruit puppets to open a company account in a bank, which was then used for money laundering. It was suspected of laundering 1.4 billion Hong Kong dollars of suspected criminal proceeds. After investigation, it was found that 81 million yuan was involved in 17 cases. The fraud cases involved victims and companies in Europe, America, Asia and Australia, with losses ranging from 30,000 yuan to 18 million yuan.

The police arrested 13 men and women on Wednesday (3rd), including 3 key members of the syndicate and 10 puppets. It is believed that they have successfully cracked down on a money laundering syndicate active in Hong Kong.

Luo Junxi, senior inspector of the wealth investigation team of the Financial Intelligence and Investigation Division, explained the case.

(Photo by Huang Weimin)

Luo Junxi, senior inspector of the wealth investigation team of the Financial Intelligence and Investigation Division, explained the case that the police found that a "money laundering" syndicate recruited a group of people who wanted to "make quick money" as puppets with hundreds to tens of thousands of yuan and opened empty shells The company, the group will then provide some documents to the puppet to open a large number of company accounts in the bank, and finally the puppet account will be handed over to the key members of the group to control.

These puppet accounts will be used to collect the proceeds of crime defrauded from the fraud case, and then use other puppet accounts to transfer funds multiple times in a short period of time to carry out money laundering activities.

After in-depth investigation by the police, it was found that the group held 20 corporate accounts opened with banks in Hong Kong, and between September 2021 and May 2022, used the accounts to process suspected criminal proceeds of HK$1.4 billion, some of which Involved in 17 fraud cases involving victims and companies in Europe, America, Asia and Australia, involving 8 email fraud cases and 2 investment fraud cases, with a total loss of 81 million yuan, ranging from 30,000 to 18 million yuan.

The police launched a two-day arrest operation on August 3. They searched many places in Hong Kong and arrested 3 key syndicate members and 10 puppet account holders. Detectives seized bank cards related to the case at their residences. , bank documents, company documents, telephones and computers.

The arrested persons included 11 men and 2 women, aged between 28 and 52, who reported being unemployed, renovation workers, drivers and cooks.

They are being detained by the police and further arrests cannot be ruled out.