Filipino couple with Interpol red notice nabbed for syndicated estafa
MANILA – A couple with an International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) red notice was arrested for swindling and syndicated estafa, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) said on Thursday.
CIDG Director Maj. Gen. Nicolas Torre III, in a statement, said the couple, identified as ‘Cerrone’ and ‘Marve’ of Davao City, were arrested inside the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 in Parañaque City on Wednesday.
Torre said the courts in Cebu, Davao, Tacloban, and Quezon City issued the warrants of arrest with no bail against the couple for violating Article 315 (swindling/estafa) of the Revised Penal Code.
Cerrone served as president and chair of Philippine-based Organico Agribusiness Ventures Corporation (Organico), which has been accused of operating a Ponzi scheme, where investors’ returns are derived from new depositors’ funds.
Organico allegedly promised a “double-your-money” investment, starting with a PHP3,600 payment for a piglet, which would increase to PHP7,000 after three months. The company also utilized crowdfunding to offer shares.
Cerrone is also the managing director of ERA Phetchaburi, a commercial real estate agency in Thailand.
In February, the Royal Thai Police and Immigration Officers arrested the couple at their residence in Phetchaburi, Thailand, following the revocation of their permission to stay and the implementation of Interpol red notice issued by its National Central Bureau in Manila, which is the Philippine National Police.
Cerrone is the subject of an Interpol red notice for being a fugitive wanted for prosecution for estafa and listed as a national most wanted person with PHP950,000 reward for 21 counts of syndicated estafa.
He is also listed as the regional most wanted person of Regions 7 (Central Luzon) and 8 (Eastern Visayas).
“I commend the CIDG Southern District Field Unit and Anti-Organized Crime Unit for capturing these fugitives. Job very well done. We have put these two suspects behind bars and helped so many estafa and syndicated estafa victims attain the justice they deserve,” Torre said.
