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An online romance scam in which a local woman was tricked by her supposed “boyfriend” into forking over $868,847.54 to a syndicate, has led to a Filipina being jailed for five months and two weeks for money laundering.
Nhona Esmana, a 37-year-old unemployed recognizance form
holder, pleaded guilty last Jan. 5 to dealing with property known or believed
to represent proceeds of indictable offense, contrary to sections 25(1) and
25(3) of the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance.
Recounting details of the case at Kwun Tong Court on Friday
(Jan. 23), Magistrate Lau Suk-han said the online “boyfriend” repeatedly asked
for money from the victim, who in turn made 44 deposits into Esmana’s Hang Seng
Bank account, from March 13 to June 4, 2020.
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| PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE |
Of the $868,847.57 deposited, $868,900 was taken out through
57 withdrawals using Esmana’s ATM card.
When the victim could no longer contact her “boyfriend”, she
complained to the police, Magistrate Lau said.
There was no evidence Esmana got the money, she added, but
the use of her bank account to launder it made her culpable.
Esmana’s lawyer, in mitigation, explained that her ATM card
was borrowed by her “boyfriend” and she had no idea that it ended up being used
in the scam.
He claimed she emailed the bank that she had lost the ATM
card, but Magistrate Lau noted that the bank denied receiving the report.
In sentencing, Magistrate Lau chose a starting point of nine
months. Esmana’s guilty plea entitled her to a one-third discount, for a
sentence of six months.
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| Basahin ang detalye! |
She gave another two weeks’ discount for the delay in
prosecuting Esmana, resulting in a final sentence of five months and two weeks.
Esmana was arrested on April 28, 2022 but was charged in
court only on Nov. 24, 2025. The prosecution did not explain the delay.
