Elderly Pinay arrested in Wan Chai for P4.8M scam

Eastern Law Courts Building in Sai Wan Ho

The police have arrested a 61-year-old Filipino woman in Wan Chai who was allegedly involved in a $731,000 (P4.8 million) money laundering scam.

Shirina A.Q. was brought before Eastern Magistrates’ Courts Presiding Judge Bina Chainrai yesterday morning (October 16) after the police charged her “with dealing with property known or believed to represent proceeds of an indictable offence.”

“Naiintindihan ko,” Shirina said when asked if she understood the allegations against her.

The prosecution said a total of $731,731 were deposited in Shirina’s Hang Seng bank account between September 8 and September 30, 2015.

The defendant was allegedly involved in an email scam that led to the fraudulent transfer of the funds from a Singaporean’s account in Credit Suisse to the defendant’s bank account. Several withdrawals were then made.

The police had been looking for Shirina since they lost contact with her in July. She was put on the authorities’ watchlist on August 11.

On October 12, she showed up at the Ruttonjee Hospital in Wan Chai for a check-up and the police were alerted and they arrested her. She still had her hospital band on when she was brought to court.

Shirina’s lawyer asked that she be allowed to post a bail of $200. She reportedly lives with her daughter here in HK. Government lawyers opposed her bail petition.

“This is a serious charge. If bail is granted, she might abscond,” the prosecutor said, adding that the defendant was convicted in 2011 for a “dishonesty offense.”

Judge Chainrai agreed with the prosecution and denied the bail petition, noting the seriousness of the case and the strength of the evidence against the elderly Filipino woman.

The magistrate set the next hearing of the case on November 27 so that Shirina’s lawyers could obtain documents from the prosecution and a medical report from her doctors. In the meantime, Shirina will remain in jail.