Photo Credit: Trilogy Media
A joint operation involving several law enforcement agencies and Trilogy Media led to the arrest of three suspected “money mules” sent by scammers to collect cash from Baxter County residents, according to the Baxter County Sheriff’s Office.
The follow-up operation comes after an August sting that resulted in five arrests and was later featured on Fox Nation’s Scammed: Getting Even. Trilogy Media, a group known for exposing scam operations and assisting police, again worked alongside local officers in apprehending the money mules.
First arrest: Suspect posed as FBI agent
On Dec. 1, officers learned that a scammer in Jamaica had sent a money mule to collect $250,000 from an 86-year-old Mountain Home man who was actually a decoy. The scammer claimed the mule was an FBI agent driving from Seattle.
Officers were able to get the suspect on camera and identify his vehicle, which carried Washington plates. The mule, identified as 62-year-old Melvin K. Colvin of Everett, Washington, arrived at a prearranged location on Wednesday last week and again claimed to be an FBI agent. Officers arrested him on the scene.
During an interview, he claimed he believed he was working with both the FBI and CIA to recover money he personally lost to scammers.
Colvin is charged with criminal attempt to commit theft of property, conspiracy to commit theft of property, and misleading caller identification all felonies. He is being held on a $50,000 cash bond and is set to appear in Baxter County Circuit Court on Jan. 5.
Second arrest: Existing felony warrant uncovered
In a separate refund type scam investigation, officers used a controlled delivery involving $60,000 in bait money. On Thursday last week, authorities were notified that an India-based scammer had sent a mule to collect the cash from another Mountain Home decoy posing as a 95-year-old resident.
The suspect, 30-year-old Samar Nawaz showed a New Jersey address and was driving a rental car traced back to the DallasFort Worth area. Homeland Security Investigations discovered Nawaz had an outstanding felony warrant out of North Carolina for obtaining property by false pretense in a $50,000 PayPal scam.
When the suspect began to leave the area, officers stopped the vehicle and arrested him on the warrant. He was also found to be in the U.S. illegally after overstaying a visa.
Nawaz faces multiple felony charges, including conspiracy to commit theft, computer fraud, misleading caller identification, criminal impersonation, and unauthorized use of another person’s property. He is being held on a $25,000 cash bond with an immigration detainer. A Circuit Court appearance is set for Jan. 5.
Third arrest: Mule accepted bait money at residence
Later on that Thursday, officers were notified that another mule had been sent to retrieve $60,000 from the same decoy. The suspect arrived at the bait house, provided the passcode, and accepted a box containing movie prop money and $500 in real cash.
Officers arrested 23-year-old Fardin Hossain Talah of Brooklyn, New York, as he walked back to his vehicle.
Talah faces multiple felony charges, including conspiracy to commit theft, computer fraud, misleading caller identification, criminal impersonation, and unauthorized use of another person’s property. He is being held on a $50,000 cash bond. He is also set for a Jan. 5 court appearance.
Multi agency coordination
The operation was led by Lt. Michael Day of the Mountain Home Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division. About 25 officers from the Mountain Home Police Department, Baxter County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI participated. Trilogy Media members Ashton Bingham, Art Kulik, Chappy Grey and BullRacksin assisted.
Law enforcement officials said four other mules were believed to be in the area during the operation. Late in the day on December 5 several scammers hung up once they heard the address was in Mountain Home.
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