NCB Phishing Scam: 14 Suspects Now Charged as Probe Expands

Kingston, Jamaica — April 4, 2025: Two suspects arrested in connection with the $47.5 million phishing scam targeting the National Commercial Bank (NCB) have been formally charged.

Charged are 25-year-old Avinish Isaacs of Cassava Piece, Kingston, and 24-year-old Nickiehsa Coote of Gregory Park, Portmore. The charges include breaches of the Cyber Crime Act, acquisition of criminal property, engaging in transactions involving criminal property, facilitating the use of criminal property, unauthorized access to computer data, and conspiracy to defraud.

The suspects were arrested during early morning operations conducted by the Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency (MOCA) and the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) on Thursday and Wednesday, respectively.

These latest charges bring the total number of individuals charged in connection with the phishing scam to 14. The cybercrime operation, which occurred between April and June 2022, involved members of an organized crime syndicate who targeted 16 NCB accounts, siphoning funds to various beneficiary accounts.

According to MOCA’s Director of Communications, Major Basil Jarrett, “MOCA has given a high priority to cyber and financial crimes such as these. Fraud and other cyber-crimes of this nature have grown significantly in recent years.” He also expressed gratitude to the JCF for their continued support in the investigations.

The growing concern over cybercrime is supported by findings from the Statistical Institute of Jamaica’s latest Jamaica National Crime Victimisation Survey (JNCVS), which reported 88,108 incidents of bank and consumer fraud in 2023, indicating that white-collar crimes are increasingly prevalent.

Major Jarrett urged the public to remain vigilant in their online activities and to report suspicious financial transactions to MOCA’s tip line at 888-MOCA-TIP.