Crime | Man claims 600 million yuan losses in tourism investment fraud

A mainland man has reported a loss of 600 million yuan to an investment fraud allegedly related to several Macau tourism and food and beverage companies, the Judiciary Police (PJ) reported during yesterday’s joint police press conference.
The victim, a businessman in his 60’s, reported the case to the PJ on January 19 this year.
According to the PJ, the man said that a mainland resident had convinced him to invest in a Macau investment opportunity comprising a tourism company, an alcohol company and a food company.
The resident told the victim that each month the investor would be guaranteed 2.45% in interest on the total amount of the investment, on top of the four companies’ profit share.
Prior to January 2020, the victim continued to sink money into the investment scheme over the course of several years, between 2016 and 2018. During this time, the victim transferred 600 million yuan to the companies by directly depositing the money to mainland bank accounts provided by the suspects. According to the PJ, there is more than one suspect in this case.
During the purported investment period, the suspects transferred approximately 100 million yuan to the victim on one occasion, claiming it to be net profit. The PJ believes that the suspects used the money to deceive the victim and buy his faith in the investment.
A total of 24.9 million out of the 100 million yuan was transferred to a mainland bank account belonging to one of the suspects in a single transaction.
Two of the abovementioned four companies were registered under the name of this same man.
The victim last received a profit payout in 2017.
On May 21 this year, the PJ eventually found one man, presumably involved in the case, and took him to the police station for inquiry. The PJ said that the police department had evidence of the suspect’s involvement in the fraud. The suspect denied his involvement and only acknowledged that he had opened two of the companies.
The PJ forwarded the man to the prosecution authority under the charge of fraud involving a large amount.
The suspect, surnamed Wong, is aged 41 years old and a blue-card holder. Wong identified himself as a seafood breeder for Macau restaurants. Originally, the victim did not know Wong. The two became acquainted through other suspects who are currently on the run.

Man steals and dumps vegetables
A local middle-aged man allegedly stole unattended vegetables from a restaurant owner, the Judiciary Police (PJ) reported during yesterday’s joint police press conference.
The suspect is a man, surnamed Tam, who is in his 50s. The restaurant owner reported the case to the Public Security Police force (PSP) on May 24. At 7 a.m. that day, the victim placed three storage crates fully loaded with vegetables in front of his restaurant. He left the vegetables unattended. When he returned to the site shortly afterwards, one container with vegetables was gone. He reported the theft to the authorities.
The shop’s CCTV surveillance camera footage shows a man riding a black motorbike and stealing the container.
At 8:30 p.m., the PSP visited Avenida do Conselheiro Borja, where they found the motorbike and the residence of the suspect.
Upon police inquiry, Tam admitted to his actions. Tam, who is currently unemployed, drove past the restaurant that morning and saw the vegetables unattended. He took them hoping that he could sell them to passengers along the way. However, his scheme was in vain and he decided to get rid of the food at Avenida do General Castelo Branco. The vegetables were worth a total of 400 patacas.
The PSP has already forwarded the case to the prosecution authority.