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NBI, 3 investors file syndicated estafa complaint vs. Kapa officers
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and three investors of the beleaguered Kapa Community Ministry International, Inc. on Monday filed a complaint against the religious corporation's founder and 13 officers and employees for eight counts of syndicated estafa.
In the second known criminal complaint at the Department of Justice (DOJ) against what the government has tagged as an investment scam, the NBI also sought Joel Apolinario and other Kapa personalities' prosecution for five counts of violation of the Securities Regulation Code (SRC).
The NBI-National Capital Region secured affidavits from three private individuals who alleged they invested P500,000, P45,000, and P30,000 in Kapa, respectively, after being made to believe they would earn a monthly lifetime interest equivalent to 30 percent of the principal.
The corporate regulator had found Kapa to be selling and/or offering for sale securities in the form of investment contracts in the guise of a donation in exchange for a monthly interest of 30 percent in the form of "love, gifts and/or blessings."
President Rodrigo Duterte also ordered Kapa closed. Kapa members have protest the government crackdown.
After an investigation that involved deploying poseur investors, inspecting Kapa offices in General Santos City and Sarangani Province, and securing witness affidavits, the NBI found that the group was engaged in a pyramiding investment scam.
"Kapa solicits and/or collects investment from the public in the guise of donations and grants interest equivalent of 30% of investment in the guise of blessings after a month and thereafter," the NBI's complaint stated.
"Kapa employed deceit through ponzi scheme in its investment scam activities when it collected money/investments from the public. Clearly, its victims as well as the government were damaged by Kapa's investment scam activities," it added.
Aside from Apolinario, the NBI named the following as respondents: Nonita Urbano, Junnie Apolinario, Nelia Niño, Maria Pella Sevilla, Jouelyn Del Castillo, Cristobal Barabad, Joji Jusay, Reyna Apolinario, Modie Dagala, Benigno Tipan, Jr., Marnilyn Maturan, Ricky Taer, Margie Danao, and another unidentified individuals.
The NBI said these are the officers and employees in Kapa's offices in Sarangani province, Quezon City, and Taytay, Rizal, who "directly transacted" with its investors and the private complainants.
