The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has uncovered 30 more benami accounts opened under the name of domestic workers, during its ongoing investigation into a mega money laundering scam, a private TV channel reported on Sunday.
FIA officials revealed that the bank accounts were being operated under the name of eight domestic workers hired by an influential businessman. The workers earned only between Rs12,000 to Rs15,000, yet transactions amounting to Rs10 billion had been conducted through their bank accounts, the FIA said, adding that some of the accounts were opened in Buner, Swat, Kalam and Basham areas. The national identity cards of those involved have been sent to the State Bank of Pakistan for further information and to find out if more bank accounts existed under their names, it added. The FIA is investigating 32 people, including former president Asif Ali Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur, in relation to alleged money laundering through fictitious accounts.
Published in Daily Times, November 5th 2018.
