SHAH ALAM – The sessions court here today sentenced two British nationals to six months’ jail for cheating a foreigner out of RM600,000 in a fraudulent investment scheme.
Andrew Mark Peters, 55, and Darren Anthony McNicholas, 51, were sentenced after pleading guilty to charges of cheating Scottish national Ian Strachen on May 21, 2019 and June 27, 2019.
The duo pleaded guilty to alternative charges framed under Section 417 of the Penal Code.
Sessions judge Rozilah Salleh also meted out fines of RM180,000 to Peters and RM140,000 to McNicholas respectively.
Should they fail to pay the fines, both men are set to face further jail terms of between six months and one year, respectively.
Rozilah also ordered Peters’ and McNicholas’ jail sentences to run from their date of arrest on February 21.
According to the facts of their case, the duo was involved in a fraudulent online syndicate.
On May 21, 2019, they instructed David Henshaw, an employee of their company, to contact Strachen and promote a purported investment into a company, Novocure Limited.
Strachen transferred US$5,672.41 (RM25,525.85) to the duo to purchase 125 shares in the company.
On June 27, 2019, another employee, Henry Paxton, also contacted Strachen to promote another investment into a company known as Lithion Power Corp.
Promising high returns, Strachen sought to purchase 100,000 units of shares in that company by paying Peters and McNicholas €121,200 (RM579,336).
Earlier today, the duo, represented by counsel Rafique Rashid Ali and Fahmi Moin, urged the court to impose a minimum sentence against them.
He said Peters, who has special needs, requires medical care.
Deputy public prosecutors Fadhly Zamry and Ahmad Akram Gharib called on the court to impose a deterrent sentence against the duo.
It was earlier reported that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission busted an international investment scam syndicate that had raked in RM200 million from victims in Australia and the United Kingdom through a covert operation named Op Tropicana. – The Vibes, March 16, 2023
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