6 arrested for fake Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang fan page investment fraud

Taipei, June 11 (CNA) A total of six people who set up a fanpage that purported to belong to Nvidia Corp. CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) have been arrested for investment fraud, the New Taipei City Police Department Criminal Investigation Corps said Wednesday.

In a news statement, the police said that the scam ring defrauded over NT$13 million (US$435,126) from more than 100 people with the fake Facebook fanpage.

The scam ring operated as a digital technology marketing company, with a manager surnamed Lee (李) and five accomplices, police found.

The fake fan page lured people into joining LINE groups by claiming to offer stock analysis and investment tips from Jensen Huang, that in fact led them to fake investment websites.

The scammers also created multiple shell accounts to like and follow the page, boosting its visibility and credibility, police said.

The company is suspected of collaborating with scam rings by designing fake fanpages of celebrities, posting fake advertisements featuring celebrities, and manipulating shell accounts to increase the number of followers for fake pages, police said.

The Taipei District Prosecutors Office conducted raids at six locations on Tuesday, bringing in the six suspects for questioning.

According to sources, Lee admitted that the company's business items include increasing followers as well as advertising for their clients, but denied placing ads for the fake Jensen Huang fanpage.

However, digital traces provided that shell accounts set up by Lee did follow the fake account, police found.