3 foreigners, 2 Pinoys nabbed over cryptocurrency scam in Pasig

Five people — two Filipinos, two Israelis, and an American — were arrested in Pasig City on Wednesday night due to alleged involvement in a cryptocurrency scam, Philippine National Police’ Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG) said Thursday.

In a statement, the ACG identified the arrested persons as Filipinos Marie Mizukami and Krizzia Garcia; Israelis Shay Semo and Chen Keren; and American Aron Dermer.

The five were arrested after authorities implemented a search warrant issued by Judge Andres Bartolome Soriano of Makati City Regional Trial Court Branch 148.

The ACG said the two Filipinos were caught conducting online fraud and chatting scripts and conversations as seen in their system units on the second floor of the establishment.

Meanwhile, the ACG said the three foreign nationals were arrested for maintaining, supervising, and owning the supposed illegal establishment.

The police operation stemmed from information from a certain “Amere” that the foreign nationals had an illegal establishment operating a cryptocurrency scam.

Seized from the establishment were:

• 17 laptops with peripheral
• a monitor
• a mobile phone
• a disc Video Recording (DVR)
• 14 pieces of system unit
• two laptops
• three external hard drives
• 12 SIM cards
• five flash drives
• five pieces of mobile phones
• an internet hub
• two ID cards under the name of Chen Keren and Semo Shay
• assorted foreign and Philippine currency bills
• five laptops
• a tablet
• 10 assorted phones
• two USB flash drives
• assorted documents
• a ledger
• two pieces of system units
• assorted ID and membership cards

The arrested persons and confiscated items were brought to ACG Headquarters for booking and documentation in preparation for their inquest proceedings on Thursday, the ACG said.

According to ACG, they may face complaints for violation of the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012. —Joviland Rita/KBK, GMA Integrated News