What Happens in Other Communities When They Encounter A Fraud

From: http://www.ocregister.com/2015/03/27/buddhist-monk-under-investigation-for-fraud-found-hanging-in-santa-ana-temple/

By Alma Fausto | Orange County Register
March 27, 2015

A Buddhist monk apparently hanged himself in a Santa Ana temple Thursday morning after members of his congregation accused him of defrauding them out of nearly $100,000, police said Friday.

Firefighters responded to the Tu Nghiem Temple at 5418 W. 4th St. around 9:15 a.m., where they found 44-year-old Dao Nguyen dead, Cpl. Anthony Bertagna of the Santa Ana Police Department said.

“The members of the group alleged that Nguyen had defrauded them of thousands of dollars after he collected monies for a congregational trip to Vietnam that never occurred,” Bertagna said.

Detectives have identified 34 people who gave Nguyen, the head monk, between $1,100 and $7,700 for airline tickets and travel expenses for a tour of Buddhist temples throughout Vietnam that was supposed to begin March 2. Authorities estimated the total loss around $97,000.

On Feb. 28, a suspicious fire broke out inside the monk’s bedroom in the temple.

“Nguyen claimed that the tickets and passport documents for the trip were destroyed in the fire,” Bertagna said.

But after further investigation, authorities found that no tickets were purchased. When congregation members found out, about 30 of them arrived at the temple March 1 and demanded that Nguyen return their money.

The monk said he had given money to someone in Vietnam to make the hotel and travel arrangements in the country. Nguyen claimed another person in the United States bought the airline tickets and delivered them just hours before the fire. He didn’t identify either person.

But after checking with the airline, police discovered no tickets had been purchased.

“Nguyen alleges that the tickets were counterfeit and that the money was stolen by this unidentified person who has not yet been located.”

Amid allegations of fraud and embezzlement, the Santa Ana Police Department launched a criminal investigation.

“He’s a person of interest until we can get any evidence that links him to the crime,” Bertagna said.

Santa Ana police will be looking at bank records and are trying to figure out whether others are involved in the scam.

“There are possibly people who are involved in Vietnam, so it’s going to be a long, drawn-out investigation.”

Anyone with information is asked to call Cpl. Shannon Rackley at 714-245-8431.

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Thanks for the information, Anti Afro Svengalis!

• What are we going to do, collectively, Black people, to stop fraudulent activity in our communities?  
• Where are our soldiers who hold people ACCOUNTABLE for what they do within our communities?
• Why are we holding up and praising the foolishness that Umar Johnson is putting out?
• Where is our self-respect?
• Where is our agency?
• Where is our efficacy?

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