It is not certain exactly how many Vincentian public servants have fallen victims to a pyramid scheme allegedly connected to a woman with Vincentian link and operating out of Trinidad and Tobago but so far nurses seems to be the most affected.
According to information received, a number of nurses and other persons here have dole out their hard earned cash amounting to tens of thousands to a local connection who is said to have transferred the monies over a period of time. But, many are yet to receive what had been promised.
A source told ANN that nurses and other public servants were approached with the deal that if they invest $100 they would earn thousands of dollars.
The source said they were initially given the impression that it was a type of operation likened to a sou-sou (an arrangement made among a group of persons whereby each person makes regular contributions to a fund and they in turn withdraw the money periodically on a rotated basis). But it turned out to be quite different.
“Now initially we were told the money is non-refundable. I keep questioning as to how 100 would give you back $15,000. They said by regifting and when the cash rotates,” the source said.
The source said that on the first week when they were supposed to get paid, the Trinidad-based person, during a meeting on social media platform Zoom, which was recorded, said the group that got paid had to be split in two and would be paid over two weeks since all 79 persons were not paid then.
“The third week she had some excuse, apparently only five Trinidadians were in the group, the rest of us are Vincentians,” the source said.
According to the source, the local person who collected the monies collected “close to $30,000 to send to the Trinidad-based woman but the woman initially claimed that $11,000 was missing, then subsequently said it was $5,000.
The source said that persons who invested decided to ask for refund of their monies.
“This woman refuses to tell us where the cash is that was sent to her. She refuses to respond to anyone, threatening persons with lawyer letters,” the source said.
The source said the woman initially said there would be no refund nut later said the only way hey would get money was if they were to “move forward.”
“Then we were told only persons who paid after December 11 would receive a payout. Then we were told a new group was started by this lady and there are instances where persons who got no refund, were blocked from the group and weren’t added to the new group to find a resolution to their cash,” the source said.
He source said that as much a some of the victims of the scheme acted against warning, it is “wickedness” to do such things to people.
According to the source, “there are persons who throw five hands (made five contributions), ten hands, and she refuse to refund.”
Some of the persons who were stripped of their cash have reacted to the situation.
One person said they were “not sure who stole the money” but the person “who we all paid the money is Vincentian” and they wanted to know why that person “in charge of collecting the monies sent the money to Trinidad to begin with!”
Another person affected said that “people joined cause we were told it’s like su-su.”
“It should be thoroughly investigated and everyone held accountable,” said another person affected.
“We trusted her.”
“She had many hands in it and had received a lot of money.”
“A whole heap of questions and none of them answering people
“It just don’t add up.
I want to know why she sent the money to Trinidad and everyone in SVG.”
“And all who were administrators need to be held accountable.”
Those were some of the comments made recently by persons affected.
It is understood that a lawyer is looking into the matter.