MOCA charges three more suspects in multi-million dollar phishing scam at NCB; total charged climbs to 20

Three more suspects have been charged in relation to the ongoing probe into the multi-million dollar phishing scam at the National Commercial Bank (NCB).

29-year-old Pajie Hibbert of Bay Farm Road, 26-year-old Sherika Pink-Oates of Rainford Road, both in Kingston and 25-year-old Howalyn Petterson of Bushy Park, St. Catherine were apprehended yesterday.

This following a series of coordinated operations by the Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency (MOCA) as well as officers from the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s St. Andrew South, St. Andrew North and Clarendon divisions.

They were charged with various breaches of the Proceeds of Crime and the Cybercrimes Acts, including engaging in a transaction involving criminal property, facilitating the use of criminal property, acquisition of criminal property, accessing computer programme or data held in a computer with intent to commit an offence, and conspiracy to defraud.

They were each offered bail in the sum of $450,000 and are scheduled to appear in the Kingston and St. Andrew Parish Court on June 26.

According to MOCA’s Director of Communications, Major Basil Jarrett, over 20 people have been arrested so far in connection with the crime which took place between April and June 2022.

He said they are believed to be part of an organized crime syndicate that targeted 16 NCB accounts in a sophisticated phishing scam, and transferred of over $47.5 million from NCB customers to several unauthorized beneficiaries’ accounts.

He is urging citizens to carryout online transactions with extreme caution.