Police nab Singaporean 'mastermind' in datukship scam
Bernama
New Straits TimesSeptember 26, 2016
KUALA LUMPUR: The police have detained a Singaporean man in connection with duping a veteran lawyer into parting with RM604,000 for a non-existent honorific ‘datukship’ title.
Bukit Aman Commercial CID director Datuk Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani said the 68-year-old suspect was nabbed about 10 last night, at a restaurant in Macap Baru, Durian Tunggal, Melaka.
He said initial police investigations revealed the Singaporean - suspected to be the mastermind of a syndicate behind the scam - had duped the 63-year-old lawyer into believing he could obtain a datukship for the victim for a RM604,000 ‘fee’.
He said the arrest of the man brought the number of people in police custody to shed light on the scam, to nine. “The suspect is believed to be acquainted with the victim (lawyer) and had acted as an introducer to the syndicate to cheat the victim.
“The Singaporean has been remanded for four days, beginning today,” he told Bernama here tonight.
Yesterday, Bernama reported that eight people comprising four men and four women, aged between 30 and 40 were arrested in connection with the case.
Police received a report from the lawyer who claimed he was duped into donating RM604,000, purportedly to a foundation as a condition to obtain a datukship.
Commenting on the eight suspects who were nabbed in Kelantan, Perak and here on Thursday, Acryl Sani said they included a personal assistant, trader, hotel worker, housewife, nightclub security guard, broker and insurance agent.
He said the suspects were expected to be sent to Kuching, Sarawak as part of the ongoing investigations into the datukship scam. -- Bernama
