The woman contacted police on March 2, telling them she made a total of 10 payments after scammers told her her identity had been used in criminal activity in mainland China, according to a police statement sent to CNN on Wednesday.
The woman said she received a call in August 2020 from someone claiming to work in law enforcement in mainland China.
Then a man who claimed to be a mainland law enforcement officer visited her home and gave her a cell phone that she could use to communicate with them, police said. The woman then made a series of transactions to two bank accounts according to her instructions.
Police arrested a 19-year-old man on March 25. He was released on bail and must report to the police at the end of April, according to the statement.
The investigation continues and more arrests could be made, police added.
The woman lives in Hong Kong’s most expensive neighborhood, an area called The Peak, the South China Morning Post reported. The exclusive enclave is located at the highest point on Hong Kong Island.
In October 2020, a 65-year-old woman paid HK $ 68.9 million ($ 8.9 million) to people who accused her of involvement in money laundering in mainland China, the South China Morning Post reported. Three men were arrested in connection with the incident last week, the newspaper added.