11 people claim to be estafa victims

Five people are facing criminal charges before the Office of the Lapu-Lapu City Prosecutor for allegedly duping 11 individuals into investing in their bogus companies.

The complainants accused the respondents of syndicated estafa for pocketing their money amounting to P1.86 million.

The respondents are couple Brilliant Leal and Chreschelle Culango, and their employees Dretch Puzon, Jerry Palconete and Vincent Tumulak.

The complainants are Glaiza Sabay, Jona Rie Sabay, Kenneth Lowe Llerin, Doris Angeli Infiesto, Mary Joy Padilla, Arlyn Tan, Alfie Diola, Gertrudes Dupal-ag, Diona Ochea, Mary Joy Enecuela and Jan Darvis Zanoria.

In their affidavit, the complainants said the respondents enticed them to invest in their architectural and design company called “Portfolio” between 2014 and 2015.

The respondents promised the victims that their P50,000 investment could earn them P15,000 in just two months.

The complainants ended up pouring money into the couple’s firm ranging from P60,000 to P340,000.

In 2016, the respondents offered the victims a new project

called Tidlum, a dive shop in Lapu-Lapu City.

But victims began to suspect something was amiss when they stopped receiving any returns.

The victims demanded the release of their investment, to no avail.

“Portfolio, Tidlum and respondents have falsely and fraudulently represented to us that they have a valid investment enterprise wherein we would earn income for each and every investment we made, when in truth and in fact, they had none, “the complaint read.

The respondents allegedly refused to return the victims’ money despite several demands.

“We could have made use of the money had they not unlawfully and surreptitiously duped us into believing they had a lawful business carrying out a lawful act,” the complaint read. /