Police will arrest JJPTR founder if necessary

GEORGE TOWN: Police are expected to summon troubled high yield investment company JJ Poor-to-Rich (JJPTR) founder Johnson Lee for questioning in due course over the ongoing investigations on the scheme.
State police chief Datuk Chuah Ghee Lye, however, said the case was being handled by a task force from Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigations Department (CCID), Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM), Securities Commission Malaysia (SSM) and National Revenue Recovery Enforcement (NRRET).
"There are no arrests so far but if the need arises, we will do so. I cannot reveal further as the case comes under Bukit Aman's purview " he said when asked on whether Lee has been called up to facilitate the probe at a Community Policing event today.
He said two police reports were lodged to date and urged others who were involved in investing in the scheme to do so as well.
Chuah said a whopping RM1.7 billion in investments by the public was involved in the scheme which kicked off two years ago.
He added 19 company staff and investors aged between 23 and 40 were detained and freed after investigators recorded their statements.
Police carried out eight raids on the company's offices and homes of its operators in Penang on Friday.
Federal police CCID director Datuk Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani said the case is classified as cheating under Section 420 of the Penal Code and police also seized in the raids piles of documents, computers, banknote counting machines, closed-circuit television camera (CCTV) recordings and RM3,300.
He said police have also initiated action to freeze the bank accounts of the company under the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001 (AMLATFA).
Acryl Sani said initial investigations showed that the syndicate had offered an investment scheme involving foreign exchange trading and returns of up to 20% a month to investors.
"We urge the public to be careful and not be deceived by such fraudulent investment schemes. If such offers come their way, always check with the relevant government agencies to verify if it is legit before losing their hard-earned money." he said.
Today, Lee, in a statement in Mandarin circulated on social media, assured investors that the matter will be resolved.
He said a new 35% scheme as promised by him will start today while he will attend an event in Kuala Lumpur on May 20 as planned.
He insisted JJPTR will be operating as usual and he would not abscond as alleged by certain quarters.
"Time will prove everything," he said, adding he will not be affected by this and expressed gratitude to his supportive investors for having trust on him.
A check by theSun at the investment company's main office in Jalan Perak showed it was quiet in vicinity as no investors seen present following raids.
Thousands of JJPTR investors were left in the lurch last month after the company ceased paying the promised dividends after claiming its accounts were compromised after being hit by cyber hackers. The company claimed to have lost RM500