MOCA CHARGES SUSPECTS IN CONNECTION WITH MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR PHISHING SCAM

The Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency (MOCA), has charged 25-year-old Garrick Lewis, following his arrest last Tuesday November 26, in connection with a sophisticated phishing scam that has defrauded the National Commercial Bank (NCB) of over $47 million dollars.

Allegations are that between April and June 2022, Garrick, who is suspected of being part of a wider organized criminal syndicate, helped to illegally access funds from a number of bank accounts via an online phishing scam. The stolen money was subsequently transferred to various beneficiary accounts, which have since been used to withdraw the funds or further transfer them to other banking institutions.

Garrick was charged last Friday November 29, with the offences of Acquisition of Criminal Property, Engaging in a Transaction involving Criminal Property, Facilitating the Use of Criminal Property and Receiving Stolen Property. Garrick’s suspected accomplice, 33 year old Romemone Thompson who was already in police custody for separate crimes, was similarly charged and returned to custody.

According to Major Basil Jarrett, Director of Communications at MOCA, “Garrick and Thompson are suspected to be part of a wider syndicate of criminals involved in the offence and so MOCA is inviting anyone with more information on this crime to report what they know to the Agency’s tip line, 888-MOCA-TIP”.