Filenews 21 April 2022 - by Natasha Christoforou
Taking advantage of the unsettled situation caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, as well as the fear of a businessman that sanctions would be imposed on Belarus, a British man allegedly set up fraud through Cyprus, managing to extort over half a million dollars from an American resident of Ayia Napa.
Following a complaint by the businessman, who said that the suspect managed to extort $566,000 from February 24 to March 15 for the chartering of an aircraft to transport his associates, Famagusta police arrested a 50-year-old Briton resident of Larnaca. The Briton had introduced himself as a businessman, dealing with the buying and selling of aircraft, telling the American that he was conducting special repatriation operations for foreigners from war zones.
The businessman, who owns a planning company in Belarus, then gave him the sum of $168,220 to charter an aircraft to transport his associates from Belarus to Georgia. The aim is to move his company's base to Georgia, for fear of imposing sanctions on Belarus, which sided with Russia after the invasion of Ukraine.
The 50-year-old, according to the complaint, made several allegations of not fulfilling their agreement and asked the businessman for another $398,000 in order to supposedly allow the transfer of his associates. The complainant agreed, however, setting conditions for the payment of the additional amount. Then the suspect, who did not agree to his terms, appears to have started blackmailing him and making death threats, demanding immediate payment of the amount. He even allegedly told the American businessman that he had a pistol and sent him photos of the gun, via WhatsApp. Then the 50-year-old businessman was scared and paid him the rest of the amount.
As the days went by, however, he did not arrange the transfer of his associates and so he proceeded to a complaint to the Police. Members of the Famagusta ICF received from the suspect's home documents and other evidence, which are being examined. The 50-year-old, who is suspected of extortion, fraud, property demand with threats for the purpose of theft, illegal possession of a pistol and participation in a criminal organization, was brought before the Famagusta District Court, which ordered his three-day detention.
