BI: 4 foreigners nabbed in Muntinlupa, Pampanga for financial fraud

The Bureau of Immigration recently arrested four foreigners for their alleged involvement in financial fraud and other illicit activities.

In a statement, the BI said its Fugitive Search Unit (FSU) carried out the operations on March 24 and 25 that led to the arrest of two Nigerians in Muntinlupa City and two South Korean fugitives in Angeles City, Pampanga.

Two Nigerian males – aged 46 and 34 – were apprehended in Barangay Putatan, Muntinlupa City following a request for assistance from a representative of a Philippine financial institution.

The request stemmed from reports of fraudulent remittance claims at several branches of the financial institution.

The 34-year-old Nigerian national allegedly executed a sophisticated financial fraud scheme by posing as a legitimate recipient of remittances sent via wire.

He allegedly used several passports under different identities to unlawfully claim funds.

During the operation, authorities recovered several passports bearing different names, as well as fraudulent travel stamps and biographical data that did not match records in the BI database.

The BI said these were indications that the passports were falsified and used to facilitate illegal financial transactions.

Both Nigerian nationals were found to be overstaying aliens.

In a separate operation in Angeles City, Pampanga, BI FSU agents arrested a 45-year-old South Korean national facing an arrest warrant issued by the Suwon District Court for operating an illegal online gambling platform.

The illegal online gambling platform allegedly generated billions of Korean won in illicit proceeds.

The South Korean national is also the subject of an Interpol Red Notice and is under the BI’s blacklist and watchlist for being a fugitive from justice.

Authorities said he allegedly ran an online gambling site from Pampanga, where he reportedly facilitated betting activities involving games such as baccarat, slot machines, and blackjack and amassed illegal profits with accomplices.

In a follow-up operation in Angeles City, the BI FSU arrested a 33-year-old South Korean national at the Clark Freeport.

The second South Korean national is facing an Interpol Red Notice issued in November 2025 and an arrest warrant from the Seoul Central District Court for fraud.

He and his cohorts allegedly established a fraudulent operation in the Philippines in which they lured victims through social media ads and promised guaranteed profits from a so-called “Minesweeper” betting scheme.

At least 15 victims were duped into transferring a total of KRW 300 million for the scheme.

The suspect allegedly gained the victims’ trust by directly messaging them and telling them to visit fraudulent websites, and then convincing them to deposit funds into accounts opened under borrowed names.

The second South Korean entered the country in March 2023 as a temporary visitor and has not left since then, making him an overstaying alien. He is also the subject of existing blacklist and watchlist orders for being a fugitive from justice.

The four arrested foreigners will be held at the BI Warden Facility pending deportation proceedings.

“These operations send a strong and unequivocal message – the Philippines will not be used as a haven for financial fraudsters and fugitives,” BI commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said.

“We are intensifying our efforts to detect and dismantle schemes that exploit financial systems and victimize both businesses and individuals. Foreign nationals who abuse our immigration laws and engage in illicit financial activities will be arrested, deported, and blacklisted,” he added. — JMA, GMA News