FIVE suspects including two Israelis and an American national engaged in a cryptocurrency scam in the country were arrested by agents of the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group in a raid Wednesday night in Pasig City.

PNP-ACG directo, Brigadier General Sydney S. Hernia said Shay Semo alias ‘Shai’ and Chen Keren alias ‘Novick’Chen Benjamin Keren,’ both Israeli nationals and American citizen Aron Dermes alias ‘Aaron/Shoes’ were arrested during a raid at No. 61-B San Juan Capitolyo in Pasig City. The three were described by the PNP-ACG as the ‘owners/maintainers’ of the raided establishment.

Also arrested during the operation were two Filipinas identified as Marie Mizukami,35; and Krizzia Garcia, 24, both identified as ‘agents/chatters’ of the company from Parañaque City.

The two were caught in the act of using a System Unit 9 and a Laptop 1 and a System 8 respectively in conducting the cryptoscam, said Brig. Gen. Hernia.

Members of the PNP-ACG Manila District Anti-Cybercrime Team led by Captain Marlon Flores and the ACG Cyber Financial Crime Unit led by Colonel Irene Cena and Lieutenant Col. Robert Bongayon Jr. raided the Pasig City establishment on the strength of a Warrant for Search, Seize and Examine Computer Data issued by Judge Andres Soriano of the Makati City Regional Trial Court Branch 148.

The PNP-ACG director said that during the raid, the accused were caught in the act of conducting online fraud where their chat scripts and conversations were evidently seen in their system units located at the 2nd floor of the establishment.

The arrested suspects were brought to the PNP-ACG headquarters in Camp Crame for booking procedures in preparation for their inquest for violation of Republic Act 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Alfred P. Dalizon