Tontine head wanted for fraud
MORE than 100 mostly military personal have filed a complaint in Banteay Meanchey province claiming a major general’s wife acting as a tontine director, or life insurance agent collected nearly $300,000 and fled.
The victims submitted the complaint to the Preah Netr Preah district police.
Pen Chanty, 55, a member of Brigade Unit 51 in the district, told a local media outlet on Monday that nearly 100 tontine subscribers were cheated by Sok Khoeun, 36, also known as Pov.
She is the wife of a major general in Military Region 4 in Siem Reap province.
“We put money into the tontine with Sok Khoeun because her husband is a major general. But she cheated us and escaped,” Chanty said.
Jeweller Seng Saroeun, 40, told reporters the victims received information that the tontine’s director packed the money and left her house.
Long Thorn, a councilman in the Chup Vary commune, told The Post on Monday that the victims were mostly military personnel from Brigade Unit 51 in Preah Netr Preah district. Khoeun’s house bordered the unit.
He said the victims are asking for justice. They want Khoeun arrested and the money returned to them.
“Those cheated are the families of soldiers and vendors in the local area. This tontine is full of high-ranking officials. Some people put $10,000 into the fund,” he said.
Preah Netr Preah district police chief Meas Rithy told The Post on Monday that the police received the complaint from the victims and are investigating.
“Regarding the complaint, t he of fender is a lleged to have run away with the tontine money. We don’t know for sure yet because it is only t he claim of t he v ictims. We will continue to investigate,” he said.