Gambler Jailed for Threatening Lost Dogs

A compulsive gambler in England was sentenced to 27 months after blackmailing owners of lost dogs. Mohammad Miah would look for “Lost Pet” flyers around town. He would then contact the owners and say he had their dogs and would kill them if the owners didn’t pay up. While the plan sounds stupid it worked at times. But Miah was no genius. He asked people to put money into his real bank account. He also used his own phone to contact them. Somehow he managed to collect nearly $7000 before being arrested.

“If you are a dog lover, losing it is bad enough but to hear it will be killed if you don’t pay up means you would be signing its death warrant,” the prosecutor said.

Miah began his scheme last March when he called a man who had French Bulldog pups stolen. He originally asked for $6,500 but settled for $400. He then asked the same individual for more money and was told no. So he sent a text asking “where do you want the bodies?”

But Miah didn’t stop with dogs. He also tried to shake down people who had their vehicles stolen. He contacted people who had posted online messages asking for information on stolen vehicles and said he could return them if he was paid.

On Tuesday, Miah pleaded guilty in court to 15 charges of fraud and four counts of blackmail.

Defense attorney Andrew Baker said Miah was a gambling addict who had conceived the scam after getting into debt.

“It is a nasty and unpleasant offense,” he said. “Perhaps it shows the dangers of advertising rewards online. You could be prey to this type of person.”

Miah had a previous conviction for an Ebay fraud and the judge who sentenced him said he took advantage of despondent pet owners