PETALING JAYA: Several more arrests will be carried out in the near future following the discovery of the MBI investment scheme, a fraudulent investment scheme based on the Ponzi concept, says Bukit Aman.
Head of the federal police Anti-Money Laundering Crime Investigation Team (AMLA), Comm Datuk Muhammed Hasbullah Ali, said that ongoing investigations and intelligence gathering with the cooperation of foreign enforcement agencies have uncovered new evidence implicating more individuals connected to the syndicate.
“Through the raids conducted, we have found more material evidence that strengthens our investigation and we do not rule out the possibility of further arrests soon,” he said when contacted by Sinar Harian yesterday.
Muhammed Hasbullah added that investigations revealed the MBI investment scheme had been in operation for several years and was among the most active cross-border fraudulent investment syndicates.
According to him, many victims only began lodging police reports after realising that their investments were yielding no returns and when they started to notice elements of organised and systematic deception behind the scheme.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain had earlier confirmed that eight local individuals – including two entrepreneurs with the title of “Datuk”, along with two lawyers and a woman aged between 44 and 62 – had been arrested during Ops Northern Star, which was launched on March 20.
The arrests, Razarudin said, were the result of in-depth investigations by the AMLA unit in collaboration with Interpol, which has issued Red Notices against several individuals linked to the investment scheme.
