Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - Police put ‘gov’t’ impostors on show to warn citizens

Police put ‘gov’t’ impostors on show to warn citizens

Content image - Phnom Penh Post
Tbong Khmum provincial police on Tuesday held a press conference accompanied by two criminals convicted of impersonating high-ranking officials to remind the public to be wary of scammers.

Police put ‘gov’t’ impostors on show to warn citizens

Tbong Khmum provincial police on Tuesday held a press conference accompanied by two criminals convicted of impersonating high-ranking officials to remind the public to be wary of scammers.

The suspects, 65-year-old male Suon Mony and his assistant, 36-year-old female Khorn Somaly, were previously sent to the provincial prison for their crimes, which included cheating lower-ranking officials out of money in exchange for fake promotions and raises.

Provincial deputy police chief Chak Sok Kao said on Wednesday that Mony, the mastermind behind the scheme, was from Svay Rieng district’s Check commune in Svay Rieng province and Somlay was from Tbong Khmum district’s Srolob commune in Tbong Khmum province.

Mony and Somaly were sued by their victims. Tbong Khmum provincial police investigated the case and detained the two in early July. The provincial court convicted and sentenced them to prison, Sok Kao said.

Citing Mony, Sok Kao said that he posed as the secretary or deputy secretary of different ministries, while Somaly would pretend to be his secretary.

Mony would ask victims to send money to Somaly and when they received it, the partners in crime would escape. In total, they defrauded officials of tens of thousands of dollars.

The scheme worked for many years, Sok Kao said.

He said the pair had been imprisoned once before for the same crime and continued their operation upon their release.

MOST VIEWED

  • Bareknuckle champion wants Kun Khmer fighter

    Dave Leduc, who is the current openweight Lethwei boxing champion in Myanmar, has announced that he will travel to Cambodia this year to challenge SEA Games gold medallist Prum Samnang any time that is convenient, after their planned match later this month in Slovakia was

  • Struggling Battambang artist dreams of staging full-scale gallery exhibition

    Leav Kimchhoth, a 55-year-old artist from Battambang province, is a familiar face to locals and tourists alike on the streets of the riverside in Phnom Penh. The one-armed painter and illustrator often hawks his work near the night market on weekends and public holidays. He

  • Five-year-old Hanuman dances his way into hearts of Cambodia

    A young talent from a new-established settlement has emerged, captivating the online world with his mesmerising performances of the traditional Cambodian monkey dance. Roeun Kakada is a five-year-old prodigy who has taken the social media sphere by storm with his exceptional dance skills and dedication

  • Fresh Covid warnings as Thai hospital fills

    A senior health official reminds the public to remain vigilant, as neighbouring countries experience an increase in Covid-19 cases, with the latest surge appearing to be a result of the Omicron XBB.1.5 sub-variant. Or Vandine, secretary of state and spokeswoman for the Ministry of Health,

  • New Law on Taxation comes into effect

    Cambodia has enacted the eagerly-awaited new Law on Taxation, which aims to improve the national tax regime’s compliance with present and future international standards and economic conditions; encourage accountability, effectiveness and transparency in the collection process; and promote investment in the Kingdom. King Norodom

  • PM warns of int’l election interference

    With the national election scheduled to take place in less than two months, Prime Minister Hun Sen has warned foreign nations and their diplomats not to interfere into Cambodia’s domestic affairs. He also hinted that their statements on court verdicts handed down to any