Faces of the ubiquitous
“Nigerian” email scam: (L to R) Pual Michael, Biodun Agbajeola and Yulia
Maksimova (inset).
Boonlua Chatree
Pattaya police arrested two Africans and a Russian
who allegedly were running an email scam ring in Pattaya that tricked a
Laotian woman in Nong Khai out of 21 million baht.
Region 2 Police commander Lt. Gen. Punya Mamen led
officers in the Feb. 17 arrest of Pual Michael, 41, of Mozambique and
Yulia Maksimova, 24, from Russia, along with a 3rd suspect who carried
two passports, one each under the name of Biodun Agbajeola, 39, from
Nigeria and Ambiton Tembo, 30, from Zambia. The arrests took place at a
well-known high rise condominium in Jomtien Beach. Officers seized
notebook computers with lists of bank account details and 15 counterfeit
ATM cards.
Punya said Nong Khai police requested his help after
a Laotian tourist said she’d fallen into a trap sprung from an email
offering her a chance to get rich by fronting a supposed U.S. serviceman
in Iraq a cash deposit on an investment. It wasn’t until she’d made
numerous bank transfers totaling 21 million baht before she realized
she’d been duped.
Police said Biodun, 41, allegedly confessed to
running the email fraud ring using the 39-year-old African and
24-year-old Russian friends as partners, both of whom denied any
involvement.
Biodun allegedly told police he wrote in the email
that he was US Navy Admiral William Macravens, claiming he had tucked
away 2 million dollars in a UN warehouse in United Kingdom and had to
marry Laotian woman in order to surreptitiously get the money out and
live his retirement life.
After the victim transferred 21 million baht to the
scammers’ bank account, became suspicious and reported the matter to the
Nong Khai police, authorities were able to determine the criminals had
been withdrawing the money in Pattaya. From there it was an easy trace
leading to the arrest.
