
'Chinese blessing scam': Two arrested in Australia for scamming elderly Asian women; rob them of cash, jewellery
Two people were arrested in Australia in connection with a 'Chinese blessing scam' that defrauded a 77-year-old woman in Sydney out of cash and jewellery worth 130,000 Australian dollars (about $85,000 USD).
These arrests come amid a broader investigation into a wave of similar scams, which have been reported globally for the past 25 years in countries including the US, UK, Canada and New Zealand.
A 63-year-old woman was arrested at Sydney International Airport on Thursday following an in-depth investigation by Strike Force Sentinel, a special unit formed in April to investigate the scam.
The following day, her alleged accomplice, also 63, was taken into custody at Brisbane Airport as he attempted to board a flight to China.
Authorities say he is likely to face charges soon.
These scams commonly target elderly Asian women. Victims are typically led to someone posing as a spiritual healer, who instructs them to place their money and valuables into a bag. They are then told not to open the bag for several weeks or even months. When they finally do, they find the contents missing.
'It's a robbery by stealth. These offenders swarm these vulnerable victims, usually Asian, older females.
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Cervecería Nacional CFD: Calcula cuánto podrías ganar invirtiendo solo $100
Empieza a invertir hoy
Empieza ahora
Undo
by Taboola
by Taboola
They swarm like a pack of hyenas,' reported CNN quoting New South Wales police detective superintendent Guy Magee.
Strike force sentinel has received around 80 reports involving the alleged theft of 3 million Australian dollars ($2 million USD). Police believe about 50 people are involved in the scam network, with 25 identified by name and 11 arrest warrants issued so far. Surveillance footage has also captured 25 other suspects taking part.
Magee noted that the crime is likely 'profoundly underreported,' with many victims feeling embarrassed or ashamed. He believes the real number of cases could be double the current estimates.
A similar case occurred in New Zealand last year, where three Chinese nationals were arrested while trying to leave the country. Police said they arrived in October and, within days, targeted elderly victims, stealing around 30,000 New Zealand dollars ($18,000 USD) in cash and jewellery.
NSW Police are urging community members to be cautious of strangers asking for directions to herbal doctors or spiritual healers, and advised people not to bring strangers home, not to hand over valuables, and never to participate in any ritual involving the 'blessing' of money or jewellery.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


NDTV
21 minutes ago
- NDTV
Australian Woman Found Guilty Of Killing Her In-Laws In Mushroom Murder Case
An Australian woman murdered her husband's parents and aunt by lacing their beef Wellington lunch with toxic mushrooms, a jury found Monday at the climax of a trial watched around the world. Keen home cook Erin Patterson hosted an intimate meal in July 2023 that started with good-natured banter and earnest prayer -- but ended with three guests dead. Throughout a trial lasting more than two months, Patterson maintained the beef-and-pastry dish was accidentally poisoned with death cap mushrooms, the world's most-lethal fungus. But a 12-person jury on Monday found the 50-year-old guilty of triple murder. She was also found guilty of attempting to murder a fourth guest who survived. The trial has drawn podcasters, film crews and true crime fans to the rural town of Morwell, a sedate hamlet in the state of Victoria better known for prize-winning roses. Newspapers from New York to New Delhi have followed every twist of what many now simply call the "mushroom murders". On July 29, 2023, Patterson set the table for an intimate family meal at her tree-shaded country property. Her lunch guests that afternoon were Don and Gail Patterson, the elderly parents of her long-estranged husband Simon. Places were also set for Simon's maternal aunt Heather and her husband Ian, a well-known pastor at the local Baptist church. Husband Simon was urged to come but he declined because he felt "uncomfortable". In the background, Patterson's relationship with Simon was starting to turn sour. The pair -- still legally married -- had been fighting over Simon's child support contributions. Patterson forked out for expensive cuts of beef, which she slathered in a duxelles of minced mushrooms and wrapped in pastry to make individual parcels of beef Wellington. Guests said grace before tucking in -- and prayed once more after eating -- with Heather later gushing about the "delicious and beautiful" meal. Death cap mushrooms are easily mistaken for other edible varieties, and reportedly possess a sweet taste that belies their potent toxicity. 'Not survivable' The guests' blood was soon coursing with deadly amatoxin, a poison produced by the death cap mushrooms known to sprout under the oak trees of Victoria. Don, Gail and Heather died of organ failure within a week. "It was very apparent that this was not survivable," intensive care specialist Stephen Warrillow told the trial. Detectives soon found signs that Patterson -- herself a true crime buff -- had dished up the meal with murderous intent. Patterson told guests she had received a cancer diagnosis and needed advice on breaking the news to her children, prosecutors alleged. But medical records showed Patterson received no such diagnosis. The prosecution said this was a lie cooked up to lure the diners to her table. She also lied about owning a food dehydrator which police later found dumped in a rubbish tip. Forensic tests found the appliance contained traces of the fatal fungi. "I agree that I lied because I was afraid I would be held responsible," Patterson told the trial. A computer seized from her house had browsed a website pinpointing death cap mushrooms spotted a short drive from her house a year before the lunch, police said. 'Super sleuth' Death caps are the most lethal mushrooms on the planet, responsible for some 90 percent of all fatalities due to consuming toxic fungi. Baptist preacher Ian Wilkinson was the only guest to survive, pulling through after weeks in hospital. He told the court how guests' meals were served on four gray plates, while Patterson ate from a smaller orange dish. But he could not explain why Patterson wanted him dead. Patterson was a devoted mother-of-two with an active interest in her tight-knit community, volunteering to edit the village newsletter and film church services. She was also a well-known true crime buff, joining a Facebook group to chew over details from infamous Australian murders. Friend Christine Hunt told the jury Patterson had a reputation as "a bit of a super sleuth". Patterson said the meal was accidentally contaminated with death cap mushrooms, but maintained through her lawyers it was nothing more than a "terrible accident". "She didn't do it deliberately. She didn't do it intentionally," defence lawyer Colin Mandy told the trial. "She denies that she ever deliberately sought out death cap mushrooms." The trial heard from doctors, detectives, computer experts and mushroom specialists as it picked apart the beef Wellington lunch in forensic detail. Confronted with countless hours of intricate expert testimony, it took the jury a week to judge Patterson guilty. She will be sentenced at a later date.


Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Likes, lies, and lethal threats: This is how gangsters are weaponising social media against cops; spin encounter tales to pre-empt action
NEW DELHI: It started with a quest for likes and shares, with gangsters posting reels of their court appearances or arrests set to catchy folk music to amplify their clout and reach. However, gangsters are now increasingly using social media to either pre-empt alleged encounter attempts by police on their gang members or to threaten police over fake encounters. In multiple encounters over the last year-including the latest encounter involving the shooters of Manjeet Mahal's nephew-social media posts have surfaced either after the shooters were picked up or after the encounter, with claims that the encounter was fake. Senior police officers say this new tactic allows gangsters to shape the narrative and create doubt about the police's actions. This makes it more challenging for law enforcement agencies to operate effectively and gather evidence. "The aim is to create a narrative that can influence public opinion, put pressure on law enforcement agencies, and potentially even impact the outcome of investigations. This modus operandi has equipped gangsters, who operate from outside India, with a powerful tool to intimidate and influence, enabling them to post updates in real time and respond quickly to developments in investigations and encounters," said a senior investigator. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo You Can Also Check: Delhi AQI | Weather in Delhi | Bank Holidays in Delhi | Public Holidays in Delhi Himanshu Bhau, Kapil Sangwan and Goldy Brar are some examples of gangsters who have employed this modus operandi to try and shield their mates. In the latest arrest of the two shooters who shot dead gangster Manjeet Mahal's nephew, UK-based gangster Kapil Sangwan posted on Facebook urging the cops to not harm them. The post even disclosed the name of the inspector whose team allegedly detained them. "Hello everyone, our brother Sombir and 2-3 other brothers were picked up from Chandigarh today by Rohini Sector 14's Crime Branch team, led by inspector Pankaj Thakran. We are fighting our battle and aren't doing anything unjust. We have video footage of where they were picked up, and we request that our brothers not be mistreated," it read. The post was further shared by Sangwan's aide, Venkat Garg of Naraingarh, another wanted fugitive operating from abroad. Last week, when gangster Romil Vohra was killed in an encounter in south Delhi, many members of Lawrence Bishnoi syndicate, including Rohit Godara and others, posted threatening the special cell cops with consequences for killing their valued associate. Similarly, when gangster Bhau's aide, Ajay, was killed in an encounter in north-west Delhi last year, an Instagram post had surfaced where Bhau claimed that Ajay had been picked from Mount Abu three days ago. By posting on Facebook and other platforms, the gangsters have been reaching a wide audience and creating a narrative that can be difficult to counter for police. "This tactic allows gangsters to shape the narrative and create a sense of doubt about the police's actions. By leveraging social media, they can disseminate their message to a large audience quickly and evoke emotions. This can make it more challenging for law enforcement agencies to operate effectively and gather evidence," says former police commissioner S N Shrivastava. Retired additional CP (crime) Ashok Chand says that the use of social media provides gangsters with a powerful tool to intimidate and influence. They can post updates in real-time, responding quickly to developments in investigations and encounters. "This enables them to stay one step ahead of police and create a sense of uncertainty. By claiming that their aides have been wrongfully detained or killed in encounters, gangsters can create a sense of urgency and pressure on police to produce evidence or justify their actions," he added. By using virtual private networks and other tools, the gangsters can mask their IP addresses and hide their real locations, making it challenging for law enforcement agencies to track them down.


The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
Australian woman Erin Patterson is convicted of 3 murders for poisoning her in-laws with mushrooms
Australian woman Erin Patterson was Monday (July 7, 2025) found guilty of murdering three of her estranged husband's relatives by deliberately serving them poisonous mushrooms for lunch. The jury in the Supreme Court trial in Victoria State returned a verdict after six days of deliberations, following a nine-week trial that gripped Australia. Patterson faces life in prison and will be sentenced later, but a date for the hearing hasn't yet been scheduled. Patterson, who sat in the dock between two prison officers, showed no emotion but blinked rapidly as the verdicts were read. Three of Patterson's four lunch guests — her parents-in-law Don and Gail Patterson, and Gail's sister Heather Wilkinson — died in the hospital after the 2023 meal at her home in Leongatha, at which she served individual beef Wellington pastries containing death cap mushrooms. She was also found guilty of attempting to murder Ian Wilkinson, Heather's husband, who survived the meal. It wasn't disputed that Patterson served the mushrooms or that the pastries killed her guests. The jury was required to decide whether she knew the lunch contained death caps, and if she intended for them to die. The guilty verdicts, which were required to be unanimous, indicated that jurors rejected Patterson's defence that the presence of the poisonous fungi in the meal was a terrible accident, caused by the mistaken inclusion of foraged mushrooms that she didn't know were death caps. Prosecutors didn't offer a motive for the killings, but during the trial highlighted strained relations between Patterson and her estranged husband, and frustration that she had felt about his parents in the past. The case turned on the question of whether Patterson meticulously planned a triple murder or accidentally killed three people she loved, including her children's only surviving grandparents. Her lawyers said she had no reason to do so — she had recently moved to a beautiful new home, was financially comfortable, had sole custody of her children and was due to begin studying for a degree in nursing and midwifery. But prosecutors suggested Patterson had two faces — the woman who publicly appeared to have a good relationship with her parents-in-law, while her private feelings about them were kept hidden. Her relationship with her estranged husband, Simon Patterson, who was invited to the fatal lunch but didn't go, deteriorated in the year before the deaths, the prosecution said. The simplest facts of what happened that day and immediately afterward were hardly disputed. But Patterson's motivations for what she did and why were pored over in detail during the lengthy trial, at which more than 50 witnesses were called. The individual beef Wellington pastries Patterson served her guests was one point of friction, because the recipe she used contained directions for a single, family-sized portion. Prosecutors said that she reverted to individual servings, so she could lace the other diners' portions, but not her own, with the fatal fungi — but Patterson said that she was unable to find the correct ingredients to make the recipe as directed. Nearly every other detail of the fateful day was scrutinized at length, including why Patterson sent her children out to a film before her guests arrived, why she added additional dried mushrooms to the recipe from her pantry, why she didn't become ill when the other diners did, and why she disposed of a food dehydrator after the deaths and told investigators that she didn't own one. Patterson acknowledged some lies during her evidence — including that she'd never foraged mushrooms or owned a dehydrator. But she said that those claims were made in panic as she realized her meal had killed people. She said she didn't become as ill as the other diners since she vomited after the meal because of an eating disorder. She denied that she told her guests she had cancer as a ruse to explain why she invited them to her home that day. The bizarre and tragic case has lingered in the minds of Australians and has provoked fervor among the public and media. During the trial, five separate podcasts analyzed each day of the proceedings and several news outlets ran live blogs giving moment-by-moment accounts of more than two months of evidence. At least one television drama and a documentary about the case are slated for production. Prominent Australian crime writers were seen in court throughout the trial. As it emerged half an hour before the verdict that court was reconvening, about 40 members of the public queued outside the courthouse in the rural town of Morwell in hope of watching the outcome in person. News outlets reported that family members of the victims were not among those present. Before the verdict, newspapers published photos of black privacy screens erected at the entrance to Erin Patterson's home. Dozens of reporters from throughout Australia and from news outlets abroad crowded around friends of Patterson's as they left the courthouse Monday. 'I'm saddened, but it is what it is,' said one friend, Ali Rose, who wore sunglasses and fought back tears. Asked what she thought Patterson felt as the verdicts were read, Rose said, 'I don't know.'