Judge metes 20 years in jail to Satarah ‘owner’ for estafa

‘Ponzi scheme type investment fraud’ 

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – A Regional Trial Court judge recently sentenced the registered owner of Satarah Wellness Marketing to a maximum of 20 years in jail for defrauding a client.

In his decision, Judge Danilo P. Camacho ordered Romiellie Batolne Lau, jailed for estafa for not returning P650,000 invested by complainant Romel  B. Ngaseo.

Camacho ordered Lau to pay Ngaseo the amount including six percent interest per annum until the amount is paid.

The decision was made on Aug. 21 but was only received by complainant’s lawyer Ronald Y. Beding on Tuesday.

Seven persons were earlier accused by the complainant of syndicated estafa but only two were arrested including Ms Lau and a certain Ruben Dulay who was later acquitted for insufficiency of evidence.

Included in the charge sheet aside from Ms. Lau and Dulay were Heinrich Lau a.k.a. Wing Pan Henrich Tsang Lau, Claire Batolne Ebes, Richie Melu and Nathan Demecillo who remain at large.

As stated in the information filed, the seven accused conspired and confederated with each other in defrauding Ngaseo the P650,000.

 Ngaseo said on February 2015, the accused got the money “even if they were not allowed by law in solicitation and trading of investments.”

In the charge sheet, the complainant said he was offered 22 percent interest per month in what he called a Ponzi scheme type of investment fraud.

That month, Ngaseo said he was invited by a friend to attend a seminar of Satarah wherein Demecillo and Melo, organizers and employees of the company encouraged them to invest.

Ngaseo said there were some lawyers and a ranking Benguet provincial official during the seminar at the D & L building below the provincial capitol in La Trinidad.

The provincial official allegedly said he “gained financial freedom” after joining Satara.   

“The group told the attendees that the company is investing in Philippine stocks, forex trading and real property business,” Ngaseo narrated. He said he checked papers of Satarah with Securities and Exchange Commission in Baguio and found out that Satarah and the accused were not allowed to sell, trade or broker securities.    

Brand new cars and free travel abroad were offered to investors once they invested P1 million, he added.

After receiving the first pay out of P143,000, Ngaseo said Satarah never paid him despite repeated demands and visits to their office in Quezon Hill.

Satarah, Ngaseo said, offered him a variety of excuses saying he had to wait until the money will be given him.

It was due to this that he came to know Batolne, Ebes and Dulay.

On September 2015, Satarah allegedly informed Ngaseo about the opening of two cooperatives namely Yes Fair Cooperative  based at Bakakeng, Baguio City and Tsidekenu Credit Cooperative at Pico, La Trinidad.

“Upon payment of P5,500 share capital, they instructed me to surrender (which he did) all acknowledgement receipts previously issued by Satarah,” Ngaseo said. “The Tsidekenu cooperative promised me that I will be paid six and a half percent interest effective November 2015. However, after giving partial payment of first pay out, they again failed to comply with their obligation up to this time.” 

Following this, Ngaseo filled affidavit-complaint against the accused subscribed by assistant provincial prosecutor Joylyn V. Calde.

The accused did not dispute or deny Ngaseo’s accusations prompting Camacho to rule against her.