Police charge 23 in online Jinn King fraud scheme that swindled millions
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A sophisticated fraud syndicate preying on desperate individuals by posing as “Jinn Kings” has been dismantled following a detailed investigation by the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI). The criminal ring, which operated through social media advertisements promising supernatural solutions to financial and personal crises, is accused of swindling victims out of millions of taka by exploiting religious superstitions.
The investigation was triggered by a complaint from Rahima Begum, a resident of Dhaka’s Tejgaon area. Seeking to recover 3.5 million taka owed to her husband by a former employer in Saudi Arabia, Begum reached out to the group after encountering advertisements on Facebook and YouTube in early 2022. The group, operating under names such as “Habibullah Huzurer Darbar Sharif,” pledged to retrieve the funds within 72 hours through occult interventions.
According to the PBI investigation, the scammers systematically coerced Begum into paying over 1 million taka for various fraudulent “ceremonies.” The demands began with items like incense and candles before escalating to preposterous requirements, including 21 kilograms of Bhutanese cow milk, “enchanted” rings, and rare birds to appease spirits. When the promised funds failed to materialize, the syndicate severed all communication.
Following a formal complaint filed in April 2024, the PBI apprehended three primary suspects: Md. Rakib, Md. Rakib Molla, and Md. Alauddin. Searches of the suspects’ residences in districts including Bhola, Gazipur, and Narayanganj resulted in the seizure of mobile phones, incriminating voice recordings, and video evidence. Investigators noted that the group used digitally altered images and distorted voice recordings to terrify victims, often threatening them with the death of their children or family catastrophes if they failed to pay or reported the scheme to authorities.
In their judicial statements, the suspects admitted to the long-running operation. One suspect, Md. Rakib, confessed to orchestrating the scheme since 2020, estimating that he and his cohorts had siphoned 20 to 30 million taka from numerous victims. Another suspect, Md. Rakib Molla, disclosed that the group invested heavily in online advertising to maintain a steady flow of vulnerable targets, often utilizing anonymous SIM cards to evade detection.
The PBI has submitted a formal charge sheet against 23 individuals, noting that many of the suspects have prior records involving theft, robbery, and narcotics. While three suspects were initially detained, they have since been released on bail. The court is scheduled to begin hearings regarding the formal acceptance of the charges this Sunday, while arrest warrants have been requested for the remaining 20 fugitives who remain at large.
Public prosecutor Omar Faruque Faruqui emphasized the severity of the case, stating that such exploitative crimes targeting the vulnerable must be met with the maximum legal penalty to ensure justice for victims who were driven to extreme emotional and psychological distress by the fraud.
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