The police have arrested 14 people, including a local actor, for alleged involvement in an investment fraud syndicate, reports The Star Online.
The 44-year-old celebrity — believed to be the son of a popular Indonesian comedian — was picked up in Cyberjaya on Wednesday for allegedly protecting two syndicate masterminds and for providing them a house to operate in.
The other gang members, aged between 28 and 48, were also reportedly arrested by the police on Wednesday.
A police source told the news portal that seven individuals were picked up in Kelantan, including a ‘Datuk Seri’. Three suspects, including a ‘Datuk’ and the actor, were arrested in Selangor; two in Pahang and Malacca; while two others were detained in Penang.
“Investigations revealed that the ‘Datuk Seri’ and ‘Datuk’ were the masterminds,” the source was quoted by The Star as saying.
The syndicate was allegedly responsible for ‘collecting’ more than RM35 million from 500,000 of its members — comprising mostly of teachers and fellow celebrities — to be invested in “property and foreign currencies”.
Its members were reportedly promised a 200 per cent profit after only four months of investing, the source added.
The Star also reported that the 48-year-old Datuk Seri was the one who formed the company, with the initials HG, back in February last year.
The police reportedly seized nine luxury vehicles and jewellery worth almost RM1 million during the operation.
