Man Jailed for Fake iPhone Scam

Today, a Belmopan resident was sentenced back to prison after obtaining money by deception through fake sales on Facebook. He is twenty-three-year-old Taylor Malcolm, who was brought to court from the Belize Central Prison, where he was serving a six-month prison term for another matter and was read two criminal offenses of Obtaining Money Transfer by Deception. It is alleged that on June thirtieth, 2023, Malcolm obtained a money transfer in the name of Yongbo Tan, to the sum of one thousand dollars to his account for the sale of an iPhone fourteen, which he never received. It is further alleged that on June twenty-sixth, 2023, he obtained a money transfer from Denise Gabourel in the amount of four hundred and fifty dollars. Today, Malcolm appeared unrepresented in court and pleaded guilty to both charges. He was handed a three-month sentence, which will run concurrently with his previous sentence of six months. Malcolm’s earliest release date from prison is October twenty-fifth, 2024.