Baghdad: A fraudster who orchestrated a scheme by deliberately throwing himself in front of citizens’ cars to extort money has been apprehended by the Rusafa Police Command forces.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the Command revealed in a statement that they received intelligence about a gang involved in fraudulent activities. The gang’s modus operandi included one of its members feigning injury by intentionally placing himself in the path of oncoming vehicles. The unsuspecting drivers, believing they had caused harm, would transport the alleged victim to the hospital. Subsequently, the gang would extort the driver under the guise of demanding blood money for the supposed injury. Drivers who resisted were threatened with tribal retribution.

The statement further detailed that a specialized task force from the Baghdad Rusafa Police Command was assembled to tackle the fraudulent operation. Through investigation and surveillance, authorities were able to track down one of the suspects. The individual was apprehended in a restaurant located in the Adhamiyah area. Upon arrest, the suspect provided statements and confessed to multiple instances of the fraudulent scheme. Legal actions have been initiated against him.