Erbil police arrest three suspects in charity fraud scheme

ERBIL — The Erbil Police Directorate announced the arrest of three individuals accused of defrauding residents by posing as representatives of a charitable organization.

In a statement released on Monday night, the police revealed that the suspects deceived numerous low-income citizens by pretending to offer assistance. The suspects would ask, “Do you have any money?” and advise the victims to hide their money to avoid detection by the charity. Instead, the suspects would steal the money and flee.

The police noted that many elderly and impoverished individuals were targeted, with the suspects stealing substantial sums of money. “The suspects have been detained under judicial order and are being investigated under Article 444 of the Penal Code,” the police stated. “They have been formally charged and referred to court.”

Article 444 of the Iraqi Penal Code stipulates that theft can carry a prison sentence of up to seven years or detention.

The police also confirmed that the suspects were not from Erbil but had come to the city specifically to carry out their scheme. They altered their appearances and used fake identification to avoid detection. “Thanks to the vigilance of the police, they were apprehended quickly,” the statement read.

The Erbil Police Directorate has urged any residents who believe they were victims of this scam to visit police headquarters and file a formal complaint against the suspects.