US$11,062 criminal syndicate busted at LRA

Four persons have been charged and sent to court for alleged forgery, money laundering, criminal facilitation and fraud, after they were apprehended by the Major Crime Investigation Department of the Liberia National Police and investigators of the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA).

According to the Liberia Revenue Authority, three of the defendants, Emmanuel P. Quoi, Pewee Sonie Flomo and Maxwell S. Toby were earlier arrested by police in collaboration with the LRA team, while the mastermind, Joe Williams, was recently nabbed.

The defendants are facing trial for their alleged complicities in a criminal syndicate centering on the altering of manger’s checks in the combined amount of over US$11,000: (US$4,924 as Customs Duty for CICA Motors Liberia and US$ 6,138 owned by IBI-LASS as taxes for October 2016).

Defendants Quoi, Flomo and Toby were reportedly involved in altering an International Bank Liberia Manger’s check of US$ 6,138 dollars owned by IBI-LASS as taxes, while Pewee SonieFlomo diverted to another account the US$4,924 intended to be paid as Customs Duty for CICA Motors Liberia.

According to police investigation, the four suspects redirected the intent of the IBI-LASS payments and transferred the amount to their personal bank account of W. Joe General Business Center’s account in the name of Joe William by means of forging the signature of USAID-LASS Chief of Party Philip Pleiwn.

The release said the defendants have allegedly admitted to the commission of the crime of money laundering and fraud on the internal revenue of Liberia. Press Release