Latest update April 19th, 2024 12:59 AM
Jul 22, 2013 News
– victim claims cop helped suspect escape
A notorious confidence trickster known for his visa scam, car importation scam and several others has pounced on another victim. Only this time, the victim fooled the trickster into meeting him at a location where he was captured by the police.
But William Ross, the victim, now claims that a police rank helped the suspect escape.
It all started a little over a month ago when Ross handed over $200,000 to the alleged fraudster. The money was to secure rent for part of a building located at a “hot spot” in Diamond.
Ross told Kaieteur News that he wanted to rent space from the trickster for the purpose of having a game shop. He said that he initially inquired about the place from a woman who posed as the con-man’s mother.
“I believe is his mother indeed cause they got same nose. I went to her to find out about the place and explained what I wanted it for. She told me it is not her place; the place belonged to her daughter who wasn’t around. Anyhow, she gave me a number for her daughter which I kept calling and never got on to. I really wanted this place so I went back to her. She told me that she son will deal with it. When I met him he said that another man wanted the place as well and he is willing to pay five months deposit,” explained Ross.
He said that the bogus property owner requested $40,000 a month for rental of the space so Ross paid 200,000 for five months.
The money was handed over on June 14 and the fraudster even went to a lawyer to draft an agreement that reflected the amount of money paid, for what reason and the duration. This document was seen by Kaieteur News.
According to Ross, two days later, the man contacted him making another proposal. Ross said that he had discussed with the man that he was buying the equipment for his game shop online and that it came up to a total cost of 1.5M. So on that day, the bogus businessman told Ross that he had a container coming in and made him an offer to ship in all he needed at 400,000 less than the original cost. Ross leaped at the opportunity to save some cash. Ross told Kaieteur News that he was asked to provide $400,000 down-payment, and so he did.
Ross was given a “receipt” after this money was paid. The fraudster then told his victim that he was getting a deal and could “throw” in a 600 watt Yamaha silent key generator and surveillance cameras. Those items were being procured at a cost of $240,000 and so Ross was asked to pay $98,000 down payment, which he did.
After three weeks had elapsed, Ross made contact to find out what was going on. After being deferred to a later date on about five occasions, Ross finally began getting suspicious but he gave the ‘businessman’ the benefit of the doubt.
Eventually, Ross was told that “everything was in the county and just has to be picked up”, the only problem being that a further $98,000 was needed.
After telling a friend what was going on, the friend did an internet search and found articles by Kaieteur News about the bogus businessman’s previous encounters.
Acting on advice given, Ross then asked the ‘businessman’ to meet him up at a cricket test match to hand over the cash. Police who were at the scene cornered the ‘businessman’ and detained him.
According to Ross, the suspect sat on a bench for about five minutes then went to a senior officer who was not stationed there. The ‘businessman’ allegedly then went over to Ross and asked the victim if he wanted his money back.
“I said yes and he said okay. Then he went back to the officer. I saw them go downstairs and I thought he went to get booked or to speak to the officer. But like five minutes after I didn’t see he come back and I run downstairs, look out and his vehicle was gone. I asked a female officer where he went and she told me that he and the officers (name given) left and that all he told her was good afternoon,” Ross said.
He said that after the fraudster had left the station, the rank with whom the man had left contacted him by phone and said that he was going to return with the money. “I end up being like de criminal cause I sat there on the bench for like two hour waiting. I called him back myself and all he tell me is ‘No man; you can’t call this phone’. Up to now nothing I could hear.”
Kaieteur News contacted the police rank who denied that the suspect had left with him. The officer said that the cameras at the station can even be checked. He noted however, that, “I would like to find him (the suspect).”
In 2009, the same fraudster was accused of obtaining $106,000 by pretending that he was in the position to get two men American visas and jobs. He was placed on a bond to keep the peace for two years.
That same year, the ‘businessman’ was remanded to prison for allegedly obtaining over $400,000 from a woman under the pretext that he could import a car for her.
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