Authorities arrest two Liberian nationals for a “black dollar” fraud in an entrapment operation on Friday, Jan. 30, 2025. (Photo from the CIDG)
MANILA, Philippines — Two Liberian nationals were arrested in Quezon City for defrauding a victim of P1,861,500 in a “black dollar” scam, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) said.
In its report on Tuesday, the CIDG alleged that the suspects were members of the Black Dollar African Criminal Gang, operating a fraudulent “black dollar” scheme in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.
The suspects, identified as “Gorge” and “Johnson,” were arrested in an entrapment operation at a hotel along Kamuning Road in Quezon City at 5:20 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 31.
The victim was identified as a businesswoman named “Susanna,” who filed a complaint with the authorities.
Operatives confiscated 20 counterfeit US dollar bills, a pile of green banknote-sized paper, a vault containing cotton and powdered chemicals, multiple identification cards, three mobile phones, a genuine P1,000 bill, and a luggage bag.
The two foreigners are now facing charges for illegal possession and use of false treasury or bank notes and other instruments of credit and swindling/estafa in relation to forging treasury or banknotes of the Revised Penal Code.
The operation was implemented by the CIDG National Capital Region Field Unit and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ Payments and Currency Investigation Group (BSP PCIG).
“We are reminding the public to be aware of the schemes of individuals offering large sums of money for upfront payments. If it’s too good to be true, it is probably not,” CIDG Director Brig. Gen. Nicolas Torre III said in a statement.