Eight Filipinos based in the United States lost at least P10 million to a con man believed to have conspired with a pastor.
Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre identified the alleged scam artist as Tomas Nazareno who was arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) antifraud division in Manila on Wednesday.
Nazareno was later charged with estafa by the NBI in the city prosecutor’s office.
The case was based on the complaint of Alejander Bugarin who arrived in the country in October to confront the suspect. He claimed he and his seven friends were duped into believing that Nazareno had $30 billion in a Thai bank and needed a financier to help him claim the money.
Bugarin said Nazareno asked him and his friends to finance his travel expenses worth P2 million and other “logistical” needs. In return, they were promised “$300 million monthly based on guaranteed profits on the investment trading activities.”
Nazareno sent Bugarin bank documents which later turned out to be fake.
Bugarin said he believed Nazareno because he was endorsed by his longtime friend, Gavino Ronquillo, a pastor.
Bugarin added that before Nazareno’s arrest on Wednesday, they had never met since all their dealings were done online or through e-mail.
Ronquillo, a resident of Quezon City, is now also under investigation for his possible role in the scam. Bugarin, however, said he did not believe that the pastor was involved in the scam.