THREE expatriates have been referred to court for allegedly obtaining a large number of CPR smart cards using forged documentation … and bragging about their devious money-making scam on social media to build up business.
Two men and a woman, described by the authorities as Asian, reportedly uploaded false information containing bogus addresses and forged agreements on the national electronic system.
The Cybercrimes Public Prosecutor announced yesterday that the Interior Ministry’s anti-corruption and economic and electronic security general directorate spotted a video circulating on social media posted by one of the suspects.
“In the video, the suspect offered smart card renewal services for those who have no valid addresses,” revealed the prosecutor.
Violation
“Investigations by the police have found that the three suspects submitted smart card renewal requests in violation of the law.
“It included bogus addresses in which the expats seeking the service didn’t live at, with forged signatures validating false information – all in return for a payment. Through their operations, they had managed to renew 17 smart cards.”
The prosecutor launched an investigation and uncovered how the alleged scam was being operated. Two men have been arrested and their female accomplice is in hiding.
“It has been validated that the two, with the aid of the third who is on-the-run and worked for a documents’ clearance agency, managed to submit the renewal requests and bogus addresses into the system,” explained the prosecutor.
“This was carried out using forged agreements and signatures in the name of the applicants who were not aware about the illegal mechanism.”
The prosecutor revealed that all three suspects would be dealt with by the High Criminal Court on Tuesday, two in front of judges and the woman dealt with in absentia, unless she is caught or hands herself in to police prior to the hearing.
Earlier this week, a convicted fraudster sentenced in absentia for forging work visas for Egyptian nationals appeared in court after a two-year disappearance to contest a guilty verdict judges issued in the case.
The 46-year-old Egyptian expatriate faces a five-year spell in jail, as reported in the GDN. He was on the run for the duration of his trial at the High Criminal Court.
He was convicted on charges of falsifying an official document, using a forged document, defrauding people out of money and possessing adult videos on his mobile phone in October last year.
Mohammed@gdnmedia.bh
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