Cops nab Cameroonian for swindling in QC

Karl Heinz Obi Akum (Photo from the Quezon City Police District)

MANILA, Philippines — Police arrested a Cameroonian in Quezon City for swindling four women of P250,000.

The Quezon City Police District identified the suspect as 29-year-old Karl Heinz Obi Akum, alias Jackson Smith, who is unemployed and resides in Hotel Sogo in Makati.

According to a police report, Obi convinced Celia Madin, 40; Michelle Ramos, 31; Brenda Gabriel, 51; and Julita Florendo, 57; to invest in his supposed business to double their cash.

Police said that on Feb. 28, Akum— using the name Jackson Smith — arrived at the women’s residence on Corregidor Street in Garcia Heights in Barangay Holy Spirit.

Akum managed to convince them to produce P250,000 for their “investment.”

The suspect, police said, asked P5,000 first from the women so he could buy chemicals to be used to process the money.

Akum left and came back with a white powder, which he supposedly used on the bills to reproduce them.

The women then gave him P245,000.

Akum put the money in a yellow plastic bag, which he then put inside a black bag.

After around 30 minutes, he then removed the money from the bags and then covered it again with more plastic bags.

He then instructed the victims to press the money with a heavy object for 10 to 12 hours before opening the bags.

Obi then asked one of the women, Florendo, to give him more money so he could buy another batch of chemicals to process more bills.

At this point, the women sensed that something was wrong and decided to open the bundle of cash.

With the use of ultraviolet light, the victims discovered that the bulk of the money was fake, prompting them to report the incident to the Batasan Police Station.

The police then conducted a follow-up operation at around 6:30 p.m. on Saturday at the women’s residence, leading to the arrest of the suspect and the recovery of P250,000 in fake bills.

The suspect will be charged swindling through estafa. /atm