Local entrepreneurs targeted: Profitable “black money”-style fraud foiled

A “black money”-style scheme operated by a cell of African fraudsters made it possible to steal up to $2.6 million from various businessmen in Quebec, according to evidence presented at the trial of the only suspect who failed to flee. the country

• Also Read: “Black Money” Type Fraud: Victim Conned Out of $292,400 Impressed by “Her Majesty”

The arrest of Wilfried Christian Mabounau in November 2019 was a major blow to the Financial Crimes Unit of the SQ. At the time, the sleuths were in a cell of shameless African crooks who raided everywhere in Quebec.

Targeting people selling valuables without an intermediary through Kijiji or a marketplace, one of the scammers appeared at the seller’s door wearing a burgundy satin tunic with gold buttons and loafers. A man eager to buy a house, an inn or heavy machinery in hard cash says he is a diplomat uncle, a gold mine owner or a go-between for an African prince.

Money should be laundered

Several meetings were held to gain the seller’s confidence, during which the buyer indicated that he had millions of dollars in Canadian money to launder. To get through customs, fraudsters claim to have washed away the Canadian $100 in their possession, leaving behind only white sheets.

Through an impregnation process involving chemicals, some bills are cleaned in front of the buyer, resuming the appearance of the real $100 bill. To convince their victim, fraudsters offer to go to the bank to cash out the money.

However, Mbounou succeeded in convincing the seller to loan him an initial sum of $100,000 to “clean up” the white tickets, in order to purchase the residence for $500,000. To make a large-scale transition, each white ticket would need to be affixed to a genuine $100.

A pile of money wrapped in aluminum foil and red tape, given the appearance of a brick, into which the popular bleaching liquid was introduced, was actually just household cleaning products.

The brick was then placed in a double-bottomed “vibrating box,” which was supposed to mix the product, but was actually used to replace the real silver brick with a fake. It remained in the seller’s possession with the expectation that it would be unpacked after a few days.

More money

Fraudsters have found all sorts of twists and turns to collect more money, for example: the cash didn’t work, it takes more money to launder more notes. When the bricks were opened, the victims realized the fraud.

A tail and victim assistance act led to the arrest of Frank Martin Zianda. The released person was able to leave the country before the trial.

Wilfried Christian Mbounau alone will stand trial in Joliet. Police believe that more than eight identified victims may have been cheated.