…convicted before for fraud, T&T national again attempts to swindle several Guyanese
By Ramona Luthi
Eight months after appearing at the Georgetown Magistrate’s court for fraud and an order was passed for him to be deported, Trinidadian fraudster Anthony Nestor has now found himself back in hot water in Guyana.
At the Brickdam Police Station on Monday afternoon, several persons were gathered to provide statements to police with regards to being deceived of various sums of money by the seemingly career criminal.
One such person was identified as Dr. Dawn Stewart, Funeral Director of the Lyken Funeral Home.
According to Stewart, she was contacted by Nestor –who went by the alias Andrew Nestor- on November 3, 2017, and he had claimed that he needed assistance for an ‘etiquette’ programme he wanted to establish for children in Guyana.
“He came to my office [allegedly] on referrals from various Ministries and NGOs with reference to assistance with an etiquette programme that he was doing for children in Guyana and so he wanted our NGO to partner with him and help him,” she explained.
Stewart, who is also the founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Non-Governmental Organisation, Monique’s Caring Hands – a mental health institution- explained to this publication that the fraudster told her he had accumulated donations in the United States, to the sum of US$300,000 and that he needed help for the money to be “brought to Guyana through [my] NGO.”
“I explained to him how NGOs work and how funds that are donated to the NGO can be transferred anywhere around the world. Then he noted to me that it was in cash- that he had US$300,000 that he wanted to move,” the doctor said.
“I told him, I’ll put it [his situation] to the [NGO’s] Board and I’ll let them decide on how they’re gonna handle it since the money is in the United States. So he continue calling me and I told him that we are working on it.”
Further, Nestor reportedly told the woman that the etiquette programme that he was initiating in collaboration with the Ministry of Education had been scheduled for November 9, 2017 and catered for 300 children. The con artist also provided a flyer of the event to the woman.
Stewart explained that she became suspicious over time and contacted several high profile persons in society to run a background check on Nestor.
It was shortly after that the shocking revelation that the man was a notorious fraudster was made to her.
The Funeral Director said that the young man kept making contact with her, and she opted to “play along” to see what was up his sleeve.
Nestor reportedly became impatient with the slow pace of the procedure and so amped up him dramatics when he contacted Stewart again, claiming that he was becoming frustrated because his monies were tied up abroad and was contemplating suicide.
The woman said she offered words of comfort and volunteered to write a cheque of $640,000 to him, granted that he agreed to sign to a promissory note indicating that he would repay her.
Nestor agreed and kept in contact with the woman. However, for the last week, Stewart said that she had been engaged with other issues and so could not deal with him.
As such, after making a report at the Brickdam Police Station’s Criminal Investigations’ Department (CID), a sting operation was set up for Monday.
“Monday morning I came to the “A” Division Commander and made a report that this had transpired and I gave him the information… and I agreed [with Nestor] that we would meet and I would give him the money,” she explained.
Moreover, the duo made arrangements to meet at Cara Lodge, where the exchange was in process. However, as he was about to collect the cheque from Stewart, Nestor reportedly asked to be excused and attempted to flee the scene as he had recognised members of the Guyana Police Force nearby.
He was nevertheless apprehended and taken into police custody.
When INews arrived at the Police Station, four other persons whom had allegedly been swindled by Nestor, were also present.
One of the other victims was identified as the father of the now deceased 22-year-old teacher, Kescia Branche – who was beaten unconscious and abandoned in the vicinity of Louisa Row and Princes Street on November 7.
According to the man, Alfred Branche, Nestor had managed to con him out of $10,000 at the Georgetown Public Hospital, last week.
Other persons told INews that he had rented their vehicles for several days without making any payments and had “disappeared.”
In March of this year, Nestor, a 29-year-old Trinidadian appeared at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Judy Latchman, and was ordered to pay Brandsville Hotel $260,824, as well as a court fine of $100,000, or face 36 months in jail.
The Magistrate further instructed that the con artist be deported.
The court heard that Nestor’s charge was that between April 1, 2016 and April 15, 2016 at Campbellville Georgetown, he incurred a debt of Gy$260,824 at Brandsville Hotel and had pretended to be the holder of a valid credit card to pay same at the entity.
The card was in the name of Wilfred Brandford.
Further, between August 15 and August 18, 2016 at Campbellville, he incurred a debt of Gy$66,898 at Opus Hotel where he again pretended to be the holder of a valid credit card to pay same at the entity. The card was also registered in the name of Wilfred Brandford.
The Trinidadian has been in Guyanese court for several other fraud charges.
