17 Jul 2019

Samoa's Attorney General tags onto cryptocurrency probe

2:29 pm on 17 July 2019

Samoa's Attorney General is helping with an investigation into a cryptocurrency company which allegedly laundered money in Samoa.

bitcoin onecoin ripple on wooden background and copy space, cryptocurrency money exchange investment concept.

Photo: 123RF

The Central Bank launched a probe into OneCoin in April after New Zealand police warned Samoan businesses and churches had invested.

OneCoin is banned in Samoa and has been labelled by authorities as a fradulent pyramid scheme, which the company denies.

Assistant Attorney General Sefo Junior Ainuu said his office is continuing to review an intelligence report from New Zealand police.

The Samoa Observer reports it was referred to Mr Ainuu after the Attorney General, Lemalu Hermann Retzlaff, declared a conflict of interest.

No charges have been laid against OneCoin or the two Samoan churches linked to the alleged scam by the Central Bank.

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