A group that allegedly extorted an unnamed Singapore-based firm by posing as directors of a major Russian oil company was caught and dismantled Monday by the Russian Interior Ministry.
Russian police arrested four suspects. Two of the suspects are residents of Moscow, one is a Nigerian national and one is a South African citizen.
The names of the suspects have not been released yet.
The group created a fake email account that was similar to one used by a Russian oil company director in 2013, the Moscow Times said.
The group used the email account to negotiate a $2 million agreement with the Singapore-based company for the purchase of oil.
The suspects secured a $500,000 advanced payment from the company in January.
Police recovered forged documents, including a forged copy of the Russian company’s seal, computer equipment and communication devices when the suspects were arrested.
