PHOTO: The three suspected fraudsters
Monrovia- The Monrovia City Court has sent to jail a man identified as Lekpele D Witherspoon who is owner of Truth Cities Incorporated and two others for the crimes of Forgery, criminal facilitation, criminal conspiracy, criminal solicitation and theft of property.
According to Liberia National Police Spokesman Moses Carter, said the Crime Service Department of the Police received a separate complaint relating defendant Witherspoon, Melvina J. Blamoh and Vera Lian actions.
Mr. Carter said earlier this week that defendant Witherspoon established a company named Truth Cities Inc. located in New Georgia, Cadwell as an alibi to carryout dubious businesses, using false pretense and fraudulent documents to extort money from several persons in the United States.
He said defendant Witherspoon informed the victims that he will get them American Visa to attend conference at the famous Midtown Hiltop Hotel in New York, United States.
The Police Spokesman further said that the defendant collected money ranging from Five Hundred United States Dollars to One thousand two hundred fifty United States Dollars ($529.00 – 1,250.00USD), referring to the amount as overseas program or eligibility fees.
When the victims made the payment, they were issued fake visitation letter. The certificate that carries fake Public Notary from a Notary Commissioner owned and operated by Mr. Lamah Mohammed M. Dukuly in the state of Pennsylvania Philadelphia.
Police identified those victimized as Marcus Weeseh US$520, Rachel Ngombu US$600, Mayango Siazia US$850, Annie Wameh US$850, Teausen Nyenneh US$850, Emmanuel Kollie US$850, Daron Young US$850, Florence Martins US$1,100, Prince Tutu US$1, 200 which sum up to US$7720.00.
Police also revealed that the said company is not a non- profitable organization as he claimed and purported to the victims and by extension to the public. Adding that defendant Witherspoon receive the money with his voluntary admission statement in the presence of his lawyers and such payment are non-refundable.
Additionally, the victims brought payment receipts bearing their full names and amount paid to verify the claims.
Police investigated established that Truth Cities Inc. organization United States Bench is a limited Liability Company Incorporated and is an attempt to verify and validate the authenticity of the fake documents issued to the victims.
The investigators communicated to the Hilton Midtown Hotel in New York through its management as to ascertain whether there was a reservation if such was made by those defendants and his criminal organization.
When contacted the Public Notary Commission in America through the US Embassy in Liberia where they claimed that they notarized their documents denied ever notarizing such documents and even provided additional information of their expiration date of his notary commission and signature sample.
Police investigated added that it was established that no applicants has traveled from the program yet the defendants still received money from the victims for the purpose of travel.
In an interview with Police CSD, the defendant Witherspoon admitted of receiving money from each applicant who had the desire to apply for his organization to travel aboard to work and study abroad.
Additionally, defendant Witherspoon failed to provide documents that validity his clear complicity in producing and issuing fraudulent documents.
Meanwhile, defendant Witherspoon charged with criminal conspiracy, criminal solicitation, forgery and theft of Property in violation of chapter 10 section 20.4, section 10.3, chapter 15 section 15.70 and section 15.51 while both defendants Melvina J. Blamoh and Vera Lian charged with criminal facilitation, criminal solicitation, criminal conspiracy in violation of chapter 10 section 10.2, section 10.3 and section 10.4 of the revised Penal Code of Liberia.