Owner of remittance center charged in court

Police have lodged criminal charges against the owner of a money remittance business for allegedly pocketing money from several people.

Police charged 38-year-old Ana Maria V. Villegas, owner of Philippine Express Remittance in Susupe, with theft and theft by deception.

The charges appear different from reported claims by certain customers of Philippine Express that the establishment allegedly failed to remit money to their intended recipients, mostly in the Philippines.

In an affidavit submitted to the Superior Court, police detective Patrick Earl Maanao enumerated at least four persons who were allegedly victimized by Villegas.

Based on the affidavit, two of the alleged victims, Mary Grace San Gabriel and Fe N. Alejandro, claimed to have given the amounts of $1,800 and $1,000, respectively, to Villegas for a “sponsorship” scheme that involved the defendant’s promise to employ their relatives in her company. These victims told police that the money relates to fees for the processing of their relatives’ employment documents.

A certain Marcelina Salvador claimed that Villegas borrowed some $10,000 from her, with the defendant allegedly representing that she would use the money to expand her business.

Police said Villegas was also involved in a cooperative-like scheme, wherein investors would pool a fixed amount of money on a semi-monthly basis, with the pot going to one of the participants during a certain period. Under the scheme, all participants would have their turn to get the pot.

However, Analyn Tapdasan claimed that she did not receive the pot money when it was her turn to receive it last September. She told police that she has invested $300 under the scheme.

Investigation showed that none of the alleged victims have been paid by Villegas.

Maanao said Villegas had claimed that she had been incurring business losses and that her business partner in the Philippines, Coriner Remittance, had notified her that her remittances were short by some $11,000. The detective said Villegas also partners with another Philippine-based remittance company run by her relatives.

“She [Villegas] stated that last week, her nephew Ryan Lobardio, went to the bank to withdraw about $11,000 from their account in the Philippines and he was later robbed,” Maanao said. “She stated that, as a result, she could not pay all the remittances of her other customers.”

Police said that Villegas’ accountant, Edwin Soriente, testified that the businesswoman delays the remittance of customers’ money to the off-island recipients at times and uses the proceeds for her business. Soriente estimated Villegas’ debts to be between $18,000 to $22,000.

Villegas appeared at the Superior Court yesterday. Associate Judge Kenneth Govendo imposed a $10,000 bail on Villegas. The judge required that $1,000 be paid, while the remaining $9,000 would be unsecured.

The judge ordered the confiscation of Villegas’ travel documents and directed her not to leave Saipan as part of bail conditions. The judge also imposed a curfew on Villegas from 7pm to 7am daily.

The court appointed the Public Defender’s Office to represent the trader in its proceedings, setting a preliminary hearing on Oct. 26 and Villegas’ arraignment on criminal charges on Oct. 31.