6 arrested over NT$7.05m scam cash robbery in Taipei

Taipei, Feb. 5 (CNA) Police have arrested six suspects after a woman in Taipei who fell victim to an online romance and fake cryptocurrency scam was robbed of NT$7.05 million (US$223,000) during an in-person cash handover on Wednesday.

The Taipei City Police Department said Thursday that officers arrested the suspects in New Taipei, including the alleged ringleader, and recovered NT$7 million of the stolen money.

Police received a report around 2 p.m. that cash linked to a fraud case had been snatched in Datong District. The victim, surnamed Hsu (許), had met a man online months earlier and was drawn into a romance scam before being persuaded to invest in a fake cryptocurrency scheme.

In January, Hsu handed over NT$1 million as an initial investment, after which the scammers encouraged her to invest more. On Wednesday, she arranged to meet a man surnamed Hsieh (謝), 31, who posed as a cryptocurrency broker, to deliver NT$7.05 million.

During the handover, an unidentified man grabbed the cash and fled in a nearby getaway car, police said.

Investigators quickly reviewed surveillance footage and cross-checked information, identifying the suspects and the escape vehicle within five hours.

Police later arrested six suspects, including a man surnamed Chen (陳), believed to be the mastermind, and seized NT$7 million in cash.

Authorities are investigating whether Chen and Hsieh colluded in the fraud and robbery, and the case has been referred to prosecutors.