Prominent people, among them several businessmen, have been fleeced of some $50 million in a major land scam–in some cases involving properties belonging to dead people. A Sunday Guardian investigation revealed that several of the properties in the affluent Valsayn area and in Tobago, were being offered for sale by a woman in her 60s and a man claiming to be related to her.?
Land buyers were fooled into believing that they were 'cashing in' on good deals after parcels of land located in the upscale areas valued at over $3 million were being sold for half the price.The two have been going around relating an elaborate and convincing tale of financial woes for the unsuspecting rich, as a reason for liquidating their valuable assets in such a hurry and for such a low price.
Reports are that the cons reportedly swindled millions from several people before police were put on their trail. The police have been provided with an identification card for the woman and pertinent information relating to the car rental firm in the East which they deal with. The officers have also been provided with details of the elaborate scam and the mastermind (well known to them) �behind it.
The couple is wanted in connection with the sale of over ten parcels of land in the Valsayn area.The police, meanwhile, are continuing to look for leads in Tobago where 25 people were each ripped off of $.5 million in a similar scam. Proprietors, doctors, lawyers and public servants are among the people who were conned.
Govt link to be investigated
Preliminary investigations have pointed police to links at the Red House and at the Ministry of Legal Affairs.Some of the properties sold were owned by people who died several years ago. Multiple title searches also failed to reveal the legitimate owners of the lands.?Police said the most recent scam occurred in June of this year, when a prominent businessman lost $500,000 of the $1.5 million he had deposited into an account for the purchase of a parcel of land at Lot 11 Palm Drive, Valsayn
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The deed registered as No 4511 listed Hamragee and Sumaria Ramadhar as the owners. Bearing identification cards of the deceased people and the deed, the con man and woman were able to convince the businessman that they were the owners of the property.However, it was later discovered that the legitimate owners were dead. But, the cons had already made off with $500,000 before the businessman learnt he was duped.
"I really thought it was a good deal. ?When I heard the land was going for $1.5 million I was fooled into believing that it was a good offer."The duo convinced him they were forced to sell the land at such a low price because they had been experiencing financial difficulties."The people met me on the land, I was satisfied with the agreement and made a downpayment of $100, promising to make the full payment in days," the businessman, who spoke under the condition of anonymity, revealed as he produced a copy of the certified cheque.
The businessman said he made the payment after three title searches were done at the Ministry of Legal Affairs assuring that the deed was free."When my attorney told me the property was clean I went ahead and made the payment. I only became concerned after a friend expressed surprise that I was able to purchase the land. He said he knew the owners and they always insisted that they were not going to sell the land.
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"My friend was able to contact the real owners and I learnt that I was scammed, but by that time the perpetrators had already withdrawn $500,000, so I was only able to put a hold on the
balance. I was really fooled."
Police investigation
Police are investigating whether the identity of the con man and woman is coincidentally the same as that of any of the deceased people or if in fact their identities were intentionally faked for the scam.Fraudulent copies of the Land and Building Taxes receipts not bearing the letterhead or stamp of a certain regional corporation are also being investigated.
Sunday Guardian learnt police may have made a major breakthrough into the scam after vehicles used by the con man and woman were traced to a rental company in the East."We have received copies of the certified copy and have also been able to successfully trace the telephone numbers that were used to communicate. We are making some headway but we may need more persons to come forward. It is a very big scam where people have been ripped off of millions," a lead investigator stated.
A businessman who was scammed said there were many other prominent people who had lost millions in the land scam but were ashamed to come forward.