The National Bureau of Investigation yesterday filed a complaint against the chairman and chief executive officer of a firm and four others for alleged large scale estafa and violation of the Securities Regulation Code (Republic Act 8799) before the Bacolod City Prosecutor's Office.

NBI Special Investigator III Aristedes Bañares said that recommended for prosecution was Jorge Obenita III, alias Josh, chairman and CEO of Juan Pinoy Marketing Ventures Inc., who was apprehended by the NBI after receiving marked money in an entrapment operation at the Island Spoon Restaurant at Lacson Street, Bacolod City, 9:40 p.m. Tuesday.

Obenita, of San Mateo, Rizal, was apprehended based on the complaints of five Bacolod residents, who claimed they were defrauded of P431,700.

In its complaint the NBI said Obenita, “operating to defraud unsuspecting and innocent prospective investors and doing business under the name and style of Juan Pinoy Marketing Ventures Inc., did then and there, willfully, unlawfully and feloniously by means of false manifestation and representation entice the general public to invest in his corporation.”

He then allegedly used the investments for his own personal use and benefit, to the damage and prejudice of the investors and members of the corporation, the NBI complaint said.

Under the Juan Pinoy compensation plan known as the Matrix Com Plan an investor is required to invest P1,000 for a personal on-line account and in return will receive seven pieces of soap that they may sell or use personally, the NBI complaint said.

The investor must then have seven new recruits as downlines so he or she can receive the firm's “auto spill,” the NBI said. Auto spill means income will be received by the first participant from the downlines, of about P4,000 per account, the NBI added.

Under the Composition Plan or Power Line Plan an investor is required to invest P500 as a personal online account and in return will receive three pieces of soaps, the NBI said.

For the investor to earn money, he or she must have two new investor recruits to receive the “auto spill,” the NBI also said.

Under the Power Juan Com Plan an investor is required to invest P1,000 for a personal online account and in turn will receive six pieces of soap. The investor is then supposed to receive a pay-put for every new recruit as downlines, the NBI said.

As borne out of its articles of incorporation, Juan Pinoy is not authorized to engage in solicitation of investment contracts from public investors or to engage in solicitation of investments, the prosecutor was told.

The NBI said that in view of this, the NBI recommended that Obenita, Jonathan Jesus Navea, Lorena Caronan, Susan Aquino and Evelyn Gudio, incorporators of Juan Pinoy, be criminally charged for violation of the Securities Regulation Code.

Obenita yesterday denied defrauding investors and maintained that he was innocent of the charges against him.*CPG

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