Both the accused, Lloyd George Bedwell, 48, and Roger Hoi, 46, pleaded guilty at the Butterworth sessions court to two charges of cheating a pair of Austrian nationals, Kosmo reported.

The charges were framed under Sections 417 and 34 of the Penal Code.

Judge Zulhazmi Abdullah ordered the duo to serve their sentences from the date of their arrest on Feb 21.

Bedwell and Hoi had deceived victims Trevor Ronald John Curtis and Kimberley John Buist Walker into purchasing shares from a company known as Devon Energy Corporation by promising high returns. Both accused were aware that the company did not exist.

They deceived the victims into depositing A$8,991.92 (RM27,100) and A$8,573 into a RHB Bank Berhad account belonging to MB International Sdn Bhd.

The offences were committed at Island Plaza Tower in Tanjong Tokong, Penang on Dec 16, 2022 and Jan 5.

Deputy public prosecutors (DPP) Ahmad Akram Gharib, Noor Azura Zulkifli and Afiqa Liyana Rozman prosecuted. Bedwell and Hoi were represented by Ashok Athimulan and Muniandy Vestanathan.

On Feb 22, it was reported that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission busted an international scam syndicate in multiple raids across Kuala Lumpur and Penang.

According to the New Straits Times, the syndicate had raked in RM200 million by targeting victims from the United Kingdom and Australia. It has been operating since 2019.

Codenamed “Op Tropicana”, the graft-busters raided 24 premises simultaneously in the Klang Valley and Penang.