Two more charged by MOCA in $80 million NCB phishing scam

The Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency (MOCA) is reporting that it has arrested and charged two more persons in connection with its ongoing investigation into an $80 million phishing scam at National Commercial Bank (NCB).

Twenty-six-year-old Shanielle Smith of Nannyville, St Andrew and 24-year-old Brandon Billings of Twickenham Park, Spanish Town, St Catherine have been charged with receiving stolen property and engaging in a transaction involving criminal property.

MOCA says the two were arrested at their homes on Wednesday, April 15, following an early morning operation conducted by its agents and officers from the St Catherine South and St Andrew Central police divisions.

According to the agency, the two are suspected of being part of an organised criminal syndicate that stole more than $80 million from NCB customers between April 2022 and December 2023, using a sophisticated phishing and smishing cyber scam.

Director of Communications at MOCA, Major Basil Jarrett, said law enforcement teams from MOCA and the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) conducted simultaneous operations at the two addresses to execute search and arrest warrants.

He said both individuals were taken into custody and a number of evidentiary items were seized.

“MOCA is unrelenting in pursuing those responsible for this theft,” Jarrett said, adding that “fraud and other cybercrimes of this nature are high on MOCA’s agenda due to their increasing occurrence in the criminal underworld.”

He also thanked MOCA’s JCF partners for their support in the operations.

Jarrett is urging the public to remain vigilant in their online activities and to report any suspicious financial transactions to MOCA’s tip line at 888-MOCA-TIP.

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