KUCHING: A sob story about having financial problems led a senior citizen to bank in a total of RM5,500 to the account of her WhatsApp acquaintance known to her as Patrick George.
On Tuesday, some five years after he pulled the fast one on her, Thavakumari Samuel, 38, from Teluk Intan, Perak, owned up to his crime.
He was fined RM1,500 by the Magistrate’s Court here on three counts of illegally having RM5,500 in a personal account used for online fraudulent activities.
Thavakumari pleaded guilty before Magistrate Syarifah Fatimah Azura Wan Ali.
He stood charged with receiving illegal money transactions into his account totaling RM5,500 from a bank in Jalan Khoo Hun Yeang on July 5, 2018; July 20, 2018 and August 4, 2018.
Syarifah handed him a fine of RM500 or two weeks in prison on each count.
According to the facts of the case, he had befriended the 62-year-old woman for a year via Whatsapp under the guise of Patrick George, telling her he had financial problems and sought help from her.
She then made three transactions to his account amounting to RM3,500 (July 5, 2018), RM1,500 (July 20, 2018) and RM500 (August 4, 2018).
Later on realising she had been cheated, the woman made a police report.
The prosecution of the case was handled by Prosecuting Officer Inspector Mohd Adzmei Ahmad.
