By Jeffrey Damicog
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has arrested a man allegedly involved in an investment scam after defrauding eight United States residents of $220,500.
Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said the suspect, Tomas Necasio Nazareno, was arrested Wednesday in Manila during an entrapment operation conducted by the NBI Anti-Fraud Division (AFD).
Aguirre said Nazareno underwent inquest proceedings at Manila City Prosecutor’s Office for estafa charges.
Apart from the $220,500 estafa case, the suspect also has a criminal record and three other cases pending in court, the NBI learned.
Nazareno was apprehended based on the complaint of Alejander Bugarin, a Filipino businessman who has been residing in the US for the past 10 years.
Bugarin said the suspect was able to collect a total of $220,500 from the complainant and seven other US residents – six Filipinos and an American.
Aguirre learned that Nazareno was introduced to the complaint online through Bugarin’s Quezon City-based friend, Pastor Gavino Ronquillo, back in August 2016.
The suspect claimed he allegedly has an account at the HSBC bank in Thailand which contained $30 billion.
Ronquillo explained to Bugarin that the original holder of the account had passed away and transferred it to Nazareno.
However, Ronquillo told Bugarin that the suspect had no financial capacity to go to Thailand to process the withdrawal of the deposit.
Because of this, Ronquillo was able to convince Bugarin to become a financier or investor of Nazareno.
Bugarin gave the suspect R2 million as travel expenses and other logistical needs.
In exchange, the victim would get a one percent, equivalent to $300 million, deposit monthly.
Bugarin said he was convinced to accept the deal since Ronquillo is his friend and copies of documents were also sent to him.
The NBI later seized the documents from Nazareno and found them to be bogus.
The victim decided to return home to the Philippines and seek NBI help after he did not receive the promised payments.