Two men were charged with trying to defraud another of €250,000 in what is known as the black money scam.

Calice Marcel Djiele Nkwessa, 39, from South Africa and Bertin Boyomo Nfonkeu, 30, from Cameroon, pleaded not guilty to conspiring to commit a crime and trying to defraud the man on Monday.

Magistrate Marseann Farrugia heard that the accused had asked him if he wanted to buy illegal money for €250,000. They told him the cash would be covered in black iodine-based dye that could be washed off using a chemical. This was demonstrated to him using a genuine €50 note. The rest of the money, however, was fake.

The victim informed the police who arrested the two men. They were remanded in custody.

Earlier this month two men from Cameroon were charged with conspiring to defraud a man by giving him fake cash in exchange for his Hummer four-wheel drive through the black money scam.

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