Couple nabbed for estafa raps

A woman and her live-in partner were arrested after they were accused of duping a dentist, whom they convinced to put up P5 million as a partner of a purported call center business but failed to deliver on the promised profit.

Arrianne Rosalie Lim Tadefa and Jethro Villa were arrested in a restaurant they owned in Tacloban City last Monday night.

Operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Central Visayas (CIDG-7) arrested the couple on the strength of an arrest warrant issued by

Regional Trial Court Judge Alexander Acosta of Branch 9 in Cebu City.

The court recommended P100,000 bail for each  suspect.

The couple was charged for estafa based on the complaint filed by Merlyn Matthews, a dentist, who is a native of Bulacan but resides in Cebu City.

Matthews said she came to know Tadefa through a fellow church member.

Matthews said that in March last year, Tadefa convinced her to invest P5 million for a call center company that will be put up at the Cebu Business Park.

Matthews said she was promised that she will earn 40 percent of the money she invested every month.

Matthews said she initially gave Tadefa P3 million. The remaining P2 million was given in tranches, she said.

Matthews said Tadefa even brought her to the location where the call center company will be built.

Matthews said the next month, she was given P500,000 as interest.

Matthews started to become suspicious when the checks given to her by Tadefa bounced for having insufficient funds.

Matthews said she was later informed by fellow church members that Tadefa was implicated in several scams.

Matthews filed charges in court when she could no longer contact Tadefa.

Matthews also showed a copy of a separate arrest warrant issued against the couple in Bulacan.

Tadefa said she only acted as facilitator in the transaction and that Matthews’s P5 million was given to partners.

Tadefa said she was willing to face the charges.