3 foreigners in fake dollar scam arrested

Three foreigners engaged in a “budol-budol” scam selling a liquid solution that is supposed to transform regular Philippine peso bills to US dollar denominations were presented to the media by police officials in Camp Crame Monday. (Photo: Philippine National Police/Facebook)

MANILA — Three foreigners engaged in a “budol-budol” scam selling a liquid solution that is supposed to transform regular Philippine peso bills to US dollar denominations were presented to the media by police officials in Camp Crame Monday.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Oscar Albayalde said the identities of the suspects have yet to be confirmed since they failed to show their passports but instead showed identification cards identifying them as Aroon James, 44, married, from Puerto Rico; Brown Akweh Fonboh, 43, USA and Gum Blanche Murphy, 28 from Angola.

“Their identities are being verified with the Bureau of Immigration,” Albayalde told reporters.

The three are temporarily billeted at a hotel in Ortigas Avenue, Pasig City and were arrested Friday by elements of the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP CIDG) along Sunset Drive near the Mall of Asia, in Pasay CIty.

A complainant said the three asked for PHP5 million in exchange for USD100,000 which the three claimed they could make using their liquid solution.

Aside from the unknown type of liquid solution, seized from the three were 52 pieces of suspected counterfeit US dollar bills and several pieces of torn 100 US dollar bills.

Charges of estafa and assault upon agents of persons in authority have been filed against the three whose identities are still being verified with their respective embassies.