Police arrest 19 individuals associated with JJPTR scheme

The police have arrested 19 individuals associated with controversial investment company JJPTR in several raids around Penang on Friday.

This was confirmed by Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar via his official Twitter account.

He said the raids were conducted by Bukit Aman's Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) with help from a number of agencies including Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM), the Inland Revenue Board (IRB) and the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM).

"Well done CCID @PDRMsia, BNM, IRB, NRRET, SSM on raiding eight JJPTR scheme locations in Penang and detaining 19 employees and investors as well as seizing documents," said Khalid.

NRRET is the acronym for National Revenue Recovery Enforcement Team.

The JJPTR scheme came into the spotlight after its founder Johnson Lee claimed that it lost USD 400 million due to a purported ''hacking job''.

In a statement last night, CCID director Datuk Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani said the syndicate was believed to have so far collected investments amounting to RM1.7 billion.

He said the move to freeze several JJPTR accounts was currently underway.

"Two police reports have been received so far with respect to the JJPTR investment scheme," said Acryl.

He said those detained comprised 15 JJPTR staff and four investors, aged between 23 and 40.

Among the items seized in the raid were seven computers and laptops, money counting machine, CCTVs and RM3,300 in cash.

The case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for fraud. -- Bernama