Sharjah Bitcoin fraudster arrested
Pakistani national persuaded acquaintance to part with $545k for non-existent coins
The Criminal Investigation Department at Sharjah Police arrested a Pakistani national believed to be behind a $545,000 (AED2m) scam to sell Bitcoins to a man he met in a mall.
The money has reportedly now been recovered and is in the process of being returned to the victim, an Indian national.
According to police, the victim had experience of buying Bitcoin on online trading platforms and found a profile of man offering large quantities of Bitcoin during a search for similar investment opportunities.
The accused acted as the go-between and met at Sharjah Mall to complete the transaction – with the victim paying in cash.
Having apparently transferred the agreed quantity of Bitcoin via a laptop, the accused received a call and claimed he needed to step out for a moment to help his wife in the carpark. He failed to return and the Bitcoin never materialised in the victim’s account, and all attempts to reach the accused’s mobile failed.
The police identified the suspect and arrested him at his home. They also found most of the money in his possession as well as receipts for transactions to the man whose online profile the victim contacted.
Lt Col Mohammed Hasan Al Shamsi, the head of the criminal investigations department at Sharjah Police, said the suspect had confessed to the crime and has now been referred to the public prosecution.
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