KUALA LUMPUR: Two women believed to be masterminds of an extortion syndicate through pornographic video calls are among five individuals arrested to assist the police investigation since last July.
Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Saiful Azly Kamaruddin (pix) said all the suspects, aged 22 to 30, were arrested at Taman Indah Perdana on July 31.
He said the case was uncovered after police received a report from a man claiming he had received a threat by an unknown man to release a half-naked video of the complainant to his friends.
“Out of fear of the threat, the victim transferred RM7,000 into the account belonging to one of the suspects.
“Dissatisfied with the amount, the suspect had asked for an additional RM3,000 if the victim wanted the video to be deleted,“ he told a press conference at the Kuala Lumpur Contingent Police Headquarters here yesterday.
Saiful Azly said several laptops, mobile phones and ATM cards from various banks were also seized during the raid.
He said further checks found that there were 12 reports in all involving local men who claimed to be victims of extortion by the syndicate.
“The mode of operation of the syndicate which has been active for more than a year ago is to create fake profiles on social media applications while women are used as baits to attract the victim to make video calls.
“The suspect will also force the victim to be naked in a video call and through WhatsApp application will ask for RM10,000 in cash through extortion,“ he said.
Commenting further, he said three suspects had been charged under the Prevention of Crime Act 1959 while two others were released on police bail.
In another development, he said four men aged 29 to 61 were arrested separately around the Klang Valley from January to July last year on suspicion of being engaged in pedophilia activities.-Bernama
