The cantonal police of Friborg announced in a press release on Wednesday the arrest of a suspected crook as part of an investigation into marabout-type scams. The man could have robbed several victims in the canton and elsewhere in French-speaking Switzerland. He was placed in pre-trial detention. The suspect was arrested in mid-December 2024. The arrest was the result of a complaint filed for fraud.
Of Guinean origin and domiciled in France, this thirty-year-old could be part of a network of fraudulent marabouts. He is suspected of extracting large sums from individuals experiencing emotional problems, in particular by promising them a better future through rituals and prayers.
The victims, under the influence, are invited to finance the ritual. The scammer promises the funds will be returned at the end of the treatment, which is obviously never the case.
The man was placed in pre-trial detention. In 2024, around ten scams of the same type have been announced to the Friborg cantonal police.
-The reported cases took place between the end of July and the beginning of August 2024 as well as between the end of November and the beginning of December 2024. The total damage amounts to more than 230,000 francs. Several investigations are underway.
The police specify that the perpetrators, who present themselves as clairvoyants, mediums or marabouts, operate via classified ads in newspapers, social networks or on websites. During the first contact, the perpetrators take advantage of the fact that the aggrieved people are going through difficult times and are vulnerable.
They establish a climate of great trust, taking advantage of the psychological weaknesses of the victims to extract large sums of money from them.
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