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Maldivians here nabbed for multimillion cybersex crimes
View(s):Two Maldivians based in Colombo are alleged to have blackmailed their country’s politicians, private sector executives and businessmen and extorted millions of Rufiyaas, CID detectives said yesterday.
They said the probe was launched after a Maldivian private sector executive complained to the CID that the racketeers had allegedly demanded Maldivian currency equivalent to Rs. 9.8 million as protection money to stop posting a nude video clip of him on the Internet.
The alleged racketeers were arrested from a Dehiwela hotel where the CID found two laptops which contained similar video clips of more than 100 persons including five active politicians in the Maldives.
A Cyber Crimes Division detective said the nude pictures and videos of high profiled persons were obtained through a Facebook friendship which started with a ‘Friend request” from a woman.
“Soon after a response is received the female exchanges pictures and subsequently proposes that they communicate via skype and use the webcam.
“As soon as the prospective victim switches on the webcam from the females side a pre-recorded video with nude pictures is played. In response the male on the other end too poses for a nude video which is then recorded and used for the blackmailing purpose,” the detective said.
Investigations revealed that their bank accounts had received more than 6.5 million Rufiyaas (more than Rs. 60 million).
The racket has been in operation for more than two years during which they have been collecting money.
The two suspects are in custody as investigations continue regarding other persons involved in the racket.