Police: M’sian was scam mastermind

KUALA LUMPUR: One of the Malaysians caught by Thai police in an anti-scam operation earlier this month has been identified as the mastermind of the Nicshare investment scam.

Federal Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) director Comm Datuk Seri Ramli Mohamed Yoosuf confirmed that the 42-year-old suspect was indeed the mastermind behind the scam that has caused millions of ringgit in losses.

“It can be said that the suspect in question is the mastermind who had been operating here and in Thailand. There have been 52 investigation papers opened here.

“According to preliminary information that has been forwarded to me, it is believed that three more Malaysians were arrested in a call centre following the first arrests, but I have not received confirmation on this yet,” he told a press conference at the department’s headquarters here yesterday.

According to Bernama, the suspect was arrested in Sadao in Songkhla, Thailand, on March 6.

Thai police then cracked down on the syndicate, arresting nine people in total.

Losses from the scam, which was a non-existent online investment scheme, had been estimated to be around RM105.26mil.

It is also believed that the group had RM657mil in assets that had been in circulation within their crime network.

“The CCID has also conducted... investigations into the Nicshare investment scheme. From September 2023 to March 12, 2024, we have received 70 police reports with losses at RM14.4mil,” said Comm Ramli.