The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has arrested a woman who reportedly duped a couple to shell out P16.2 million in investments to an export-import-freight forwarding firm which turned out to be non-existent.

The arrested woman in Kawit, Cavite last June 9 was identified by the NBI as Mary Ann Tee Hernandez.

Immediately after Hernandez’s arrest in an entrapment operation conducted by agents of the NBI National Capital Region (NBI-NCR), she was charged with estafa under Article 315 of the Revised Penal Code in relation to Republic Act No. 10175, the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, the NBI said.

It said the operation was conducted based on the complaint of a couple who came to know Hernandez in 2019 through Facebook where she offered “a ‘rare opportunity’ to diversify complainant funds.”

“Hernandez represented herself to the complainants as the owner of Frontier Freight Forwarders (Frontier Freight), a legitimate business existing for six (6) years in Pasay City,” the NBI said.

It said the complainants were told by Hernandez that Frontier Freight “handles imports and exports, and arranges freights for shippers” and that “two (2) percent interest are given for invested funds.”

“Complainants’ money invested in the Subject totaled P16,282,631 as of April 2022 and if unpaid interests for 2022 promised by the Subject were to be included, the amount will total P17,837,418. Subject paid the return on investment in April 2020, however, payments of returns became irregular even with continuous follow-up of Complainants,” the NBI said.

It said that “verification with government agencies showed negative results for Frontier Freight Forwarders. Convinced that they were defrauded, Complainants sought the help of NBI,” it added.