Online boyfriend allegedly duped Pinay in $600,000 money laundering case

Eastern Law Courts Building

A 48-year-old Filipino domestic worker in Tung Chung insisted on her innocence after she was linked to a money laundering scam involving  more than $600,000.

Jeanette C.R., of Ying Hong Street, Tung Chung, pleaded not guilty on March 13 after the police found suspicious transactions, worth a total of $677,331.04, involving her two accounts with the Bank of China and the Hang Seng Bank.

She was charged with two counts of “dealing with property known or believed to represent proceeds of indictable offence.”

“Not guilty,” Jeanette said when asked for her plea in each case.

The prosecution said that, between April 27, 2017 and June 15, 2018, the domestic worker dealt with the laundered funds worth $551,530.34 that were found in her Hang Seng Bank account.

And then from March 15, 2018 to April 26, 2018, Jeanette allegedly dealt with laundered funds worth $125,800.7 in her Bank of China account.

However, the defendant was reportedly duped by her online boyfriend who had promised to marry the Filipina, a single mother of four. The boyfriend allegedly offered to give her money for her medical needs and so she allowed him to use her bank account. The funds were transferred later to another account.

The domestic worker’s lawyer earlier asked Eastern Principal Magistrate Peter Law that she be allowed to post bail but the prosecution opposed granting her bail.

“The charges against her are serious. The total amount involved is over $600,000,” the prosecutor said, adding that the helper made an “admission” during her interview with police investigators.

The prosecutor also said that Jeanette’s employer was going to testify in the case and her contract will end on June 18.

Judge Law refused Jeanette’s bail application but added that she could appeal and ask for bail from the High Court in Admiralty.