Woman sought in alleged fraud scheme

The Huntington Beach Police Department is seeking victims of an alleged fraud scheme by a local woman and her male partner.

Thuy Thi Thanh Nguyen, 40, of Huntington Beach, also known as Jennifer Thuy, is accused of “preying on females in the Vietnamese community� from October to March and convincing them to invest in a new music production company, the police said in a release.

She and her partner, known only as “Benny Lam,� allegedly convinced the victims to liquidate their assets to invest in the company, promising large returns.

After the victims ran out of money, the couple had the victims’ open credit accounts at retail stores to buy merchandise to “help� the new business, police said. The victims never received any money back.

If the victims questioned the couple, police said, they were threatened with violence not to report what happened to anyone in the Vietnamese community or the police.

Additional victims, or those who know the whereabouts or identity of Benny Lam, are asked to call Detective Chris Nesmith at (714) 536-5658.

— Candice Baker