20 arrested in alleged pig-butchering, online fraud scheme

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) arrested 20 people in Pasay City after they were allegedly involved in a “pig butchering' or online fraud scheme.

According to a "24 Oras" report from John Consulta on Tuesday, the NBI raided a condominium unit in Pasay City where the reported scam operations were taking place.

“Kakasuhan sila ng computer-related fraud under Section 4(b)...ng Republic Act 10175 or Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012,” NBI Director Melvin Matibag said.

(We will file a computer-related fraud under Section 4(b)...of Republic Act 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.)

In footage from the NBI Special Action Unit, several suspects were seen on their computers as agents raided their operations.

One suspect attempted to run by jumping from the sixth floor of the condo and into the swimming pool on the first floor. However, NBI agents were still able to detain him.

A pig butchering scam is a long-term scheme where suspects would feed their victims with love and affection. Once the suspect establishes the victim’s trust, the former would pull the latter into a cryptocurrency scheme.

In this case, the scam operation’s victims were both foreigners and Filipinos.

The NBI arrested two foreigners and 18 Filipinos in the scam hub, with the foreigners acting as the supervisors. No one has issued any comment. — Jean Mangaluz/LDF, GMA News