The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has arrested a woman accused of operating an illegal investment scheme that victimized retired members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), including pensioners from the Navy, Army, and Air Force.
Authorities said the group solicited funds from investors without securing a secondary license from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
They allegedly lured victims with promises of high returns by claiming the money would be used to finance loans for retired soldiers. Instead, they collected “processing fees,” diverted the funds, and gave only minimal returns.
One of the victims said he lost most of his retirement money after being persuaded to invest while awaiting his pension. He added he had planned to use the funds for a business but only received bouncing checks.
Another victim shared that he borrowed P500,000 to invest, lured by promises of a 10 to 15 percent monthly return.
NBI Agent Henry Roxas said the suspect’s late husband was also a soldier, which allowed her to build trust within the military community.
“Ginamit niya ang koneksyon. Kaya’t nagtiwala ang mga biktima,” Roxas noted.
The suspect was arrested in an entrapment operation after complaints were filed. She is facing charges of estafa, as well as violations of the Financial Products and Services Consumer Protection Act (RA 11765) and the Securities Regulation Code (RA 8799).
NBI spokesperson Ferdinand Lavin urged the public to verify with the SEC before investing.
“Make sure na may secondary license. Hindi sapat na registered lang sa SEC — securing a secondary license protects your money,” he said.
