The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has issued a notice for 35 witnesses to testify in the trial of Ponzi scheme accused, Yuri Garcia-Dominguez and his wife Ateeka Ishmael, who are facing 100-plus charges for obtaining monies by false pretence.
The witnesses are to appear at the Vigilance Magistrate’s Court, East Coast Demerara (ECD).
The witnesses are Seodat Sookdeo of Mon Repos, ECD; Sumatie Ramcharran of La Bonne Intention (LBI), ECD; Naimonie Khan of Lusignan, ECD; Gavin Doodnauth of Annandale, ECD; Stephen Gopaul of Triumph, ECD; Jennifer Pearce of West Ruimveldt Housing Scheme, Georgetown; Sakichand Jagdeo of Lusignan; Kevin Adolphus of Enmore, ECD; Lolita Singh of Enterprise, ECD; Shalomie Ramdhanie and Sankar Ramdhanie of Herstelling, East Bank Demerara (EBD); Parbattie Jadunauth of Middleton Street, Georgetown; Hemant Chowtie of Three Friends, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) and Onisha Cameron of North Haslington, ECD.
The other witnesses are Deoraj Samaroo of De Endragt, Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica); Deonarine Jagmohan of Eccles, EBD; Haroon Baksh of Lusignan; Mandisa Bowen of Sandy Babb Street, Kitty, Georgetown, Alifa Sancharra and Hameraj Sancharra of Good Hope, ECD; Carla Cassiano of Cummings Lodge, ECD; Savitri Narine of Montrose, ECD; Veekadai Tomby of Enmore; Mohamed Farad Jamalodeen of Lusignan and Aubrey Norton of Coldingen, ECD.
Reginal Mendes, Nateram Meghoo, and Mohani Makhan of Non Pariel, ECD; Goutam Boodhoo of South Better Hope, ECD; Rhonda Robers and Sean Roberts of Lamaha Gardens, Georgetown, Nalini Gordon of Annandale, ECD; Parbatie Persaud of Helena, Mahaica, ECD; Surujpaul Balkissoon of Lusignan and Vedisha Samaroo of Good Hope, are the remaining witnesses.
The couple was the principals of Accelerated Capital Firm Incorporated (ACFI), the company allegedly behind a major Ponzi scheme in which hundreds of Guyanese were fleeced of some $4 billion by reportedly trading on the international stock exchange. Concerning the Ponzi scheme, they are facing several counts of obtaining monies by false pretence, and are out on over $30 million bail.
Sometime in 2020, ACFI ceased all operations in Guyana after authorities discovered that it was operating without a licence from the Guyana Securities Council (GSC).
The Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Act prohibits businesses from operating as financial institutions without the necessary registration for regulation and supervision by the regulatory authorities. On October 12, 2020, the couple had begun reimbursing persons who had invested in their company.
However, the refunds came to an unexpected halt a few days later after ranks from the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) – an arm of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) – raided their home at Coldingen, ECD, and seized several pieces of equipment the couple claimed were vital in processing the refund transactions.
They had disclosed that their company’s mode of business is trading on the international stock exchange. According to them, the company trades with international brokers such as IQ Options and FX Choice. They had said that the mode and operation of the company are that investing parties, having entered into a legally binding contract with ACFI, are permitted to invest a certain amount of capital. They had said, too, that either the investing party or ACFI can then deposit money with the brokers which would then be traded on the international market.
They had also said that the investing party subsequently receives 40 per cent to 50 per cent on their investment based on the invested amount and the terms of their contract.
