NEWS 419ers $1.5 Million Gold Scam in Sierra Leone 1 Dead, 2 in Jail, Others on the Run Posted by on Nov 18, 2008, 19:19

419 Senegalese National Called Chief(now dead) with Chuck Reach of LEERAECH DIAMOND AND GOLD in Pennsylvania

Chuck Raech, an American Citizen of LEERAECH DIAMOND AND GOLD in Pennsylvania is in town to test the legal system of the country, after he was duped by a group of notorious wheeler dealers.

Chuck Raech and his partners had lost a total of $1.5 Million to this group who always goes around claiming to be diamond and gold dealers, waiting to nab unsuspecting and innocent victims. Some time they go international and get big catch with the active connivance of some officers of the Sierra Leone Police.

Another 419er Capitalist with his Victim Chuck Reach of LEERAECH DIAMOND AND GOLD in Pennsylvania

On the 20^th May, 2008 the LEERAECH DIAMOND AND GOLD Company reportedly released the sum of $1.5Million into an alleged company account operated by a serial conman known around town as Capitalist at the Ecobank.

The money according to Chuck Reach was for the purchase of gold and diamond which his company was assured of getting in Freetown-Sierra Leone once the money was released to them. The transaction, which was done between the two companies, was represented by its owners both in Freetown and America. The item, which became a shock to them when delivered, was discovered to be fake gold after it was tested. This is not the first time that investors and business individuals are complaining about fraudulent transactions between them and this group involving capitalist, Alimamy Fifty Pound and their accomplices. Sadly, this group of individuals always walks free from the corridors of the court and the police. “I am here not only to test the rule of law in Sierra Leone but to assess whether or not Sierra Leone can afford to sacrifice investors and genuine business individuals because of a small group of people whose interest is personal” Chuck said.

The Gold Turns Out to Be Fake.....Sand mixed with Gold Dust

Among the group of wheeler dealers and master dupers is a Senegalese national referred to as the Chief who passed away when Standard first published the story and pictures of the fake gold sold and shipped out of the country. Chuck said when he discovered the fraud and alerted his local counterpart in Sierra Leone to adopt the necessary measures   to contain the dupers he received several threats from them through telephone calls. “They threatened to kill me if I resurface in Sierra Leone, but I always told them that I am on my way to retrieve my money”

The Ecobank where the money was wired to and allegedly withdrawn by Capitalist and others is reportedly a possible witness to the matter, to testify who made withdrawals and how many times it was done. Although, the Senegalese is dead and cannot testify in the matter, two from the group have already been arrested while the others are reportedly on the run. The disappointment and frustration experienced since the report was made to the police by Chuck Raech and his local partner is the lukewarm attitude of the police, and it is highly suspected that crime of such nature and magnitude cannot be committed without the knowledge of some officials of the police.

Over the years the United States Embassy in Freetown has been pouring thousand of taxpayer’s dollars on the police to make it not only professional but independent. Now that an American Citizen has been duped by this group, it is not known what role the Embassy would play for its citizen to get justice in a country like Sierra Leone where conmen romance with law enforcement officers.

According to Chuck Raech, they were able to convince him as true and patriotic Sierra Leonean businessmen when they produced documents to him allegedly from the Ministry of Mines and Government Gold and Diamond offices. Additional documents from the National Revenue Authority (NRA) Immigration and Customs Department were also produced to him “Where did they get all these documents”? He questioned. There are wide speculations that the group is not only in league with some police officers, but also working with some civil servants in government offices who are directly benefiting from their illegal activities.