Fortuneteller scams $ 510,000 from land brokers


Buth Reaksmey Kongkea

An old woman claiming to be a fortuneteller was yesterday charged and detained by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court accused of cheating $510,000 from a couple who she allegedly tricked into selling more than 50 hectares of land in Kampong Speu province between 2015 and 2016 that she never owned. 

Investigating Judge San Bunthoeun, identified the accused as Pok Saokhan, 63, a fortuneteller living in Kambol district’s Kambol commune in Phnom Penh.

The accused was charged with two counts of “fraud and breach of trust” under Articles 377, 378, 391 and 392 of the Criminal Code.

The accused was arrested on October 24, and if convicted, faces between 6 months and three years in prison.

Commissariat of Phnom Penh Municipal Police Major Vong Sareth said yesterday that the two victims were identified as Khong Seanghy and his wife Sok Chenda, both are land brokers living in Toul Kork district’s Phsar Depo I commune.

Maj Sareth said that according to the victims, they became familiar with the accused after visiting her house in 2015 and asked her if she could tell them about the future success of their business.

“The victims said the accused recommended that they buy 55 hectares of land she owned in Kampong Speu province’s Samrong Tong district,” Maj Sareth said.

He said that because the accused had earned the trust of the victims through her fortunetelljing abilities, they negotiated a price for the land of $510,000.

He added that the two parties made a contract then the victims started depositing money with the accused until the balance of $510,000 for the land was settled in 2016. 

“After the accused received the payments from victims, she did not have any land to hand over to the victims as per the contract,” he said.

“When the victims demanded their money back, she did not have any money to repay them. She asked the victims to delay payment and promised to find other land,” he said, adding: “She did not have any land for them and she never repaid the victims until today.”

He added that to claim for damages, the victims later lodged the complaint against the accused with the Phnom Penh Municipal Court in 2019, which led to her arrest on Monday.

// END//

 


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