More suspects in fake stock trading hunted

Agents of the National Bureau of Investigation are hot on the trail of more suspects in a bogus stock trading operation which was busted in Makati City last month.

According to the NBI International Police (Interpol) division, other members of the syndicate are still doing their thing but have so far eluded NBI agents.

"They are still in operation but they are transferring from one place to another to elude arrest. Aside from Metro Manila, they also maintain front offices in Cebu which they man round the clock," said Ricardo Diaz, head of the NBI-Interpol division.

Early this month, agents of the NBI-Interpol arrested 14 foreigners and a Filipina suspected to be involved in the fake stock trading.

Now facing charges before the Justice Department for violation of the Securities Regulation Code are Adam McGlashan, 27, of Sydney, Australia; William Canavan, 32, of London, England; Robert Walderman, alias Jonathan Douglas, a Canadian, 38; Daniel Newhouse, alias Daniel Stevens, a US citizen, 22, and temporarily residing at 22-A Bonifacio St., Plaridel, Angeles City; Jonathan Farber, alias Jonathan Hart, a US citizen, 42, of 7912 Makati Avenue, Makati City; Mark Patrick Eduards, a Briton 43, of 82-C Olympia Courtyard, Makati City; Nicholas Appleton, alias Charles Brown, 26 of Manchester, England; Stuart Rea, 33, of Berkshire, London; Louis Paphitis, 25; Nicholas Start, 20 a Briton; Tracy Fisher, a Briton, 39; Elicia Hebbs, alias Sophie Davis, 28, a Briton; and Josephine Duey, a Filipina, 38, of 872 Belleza St., Pinagkaisahan, Makati City.

Those arrested have been released after posting P40,000 each in bail.

Still at large and now being hunted by the NBI are two more suspects identified as Charles Mowbray and Ted Edwards.

According to investigation by the NBI, the suspects had been operating a bogus international stock brokerage through the Evergreen Consulting Corp. located at the sixth floor of the Liberty Center Building along H.V. dela Costa St. in Salcedo Village, Makati City.

According to the NBI, the suspects would contact through long distance calls from their office, well-known stock market players in New Zealand, Australia and the Netherlands.

The suspects would introduce themselves as "brokers" of international stock brokerage firms and convince them to invest huge sums in foreign "stocks" which they claimed to handle, with the promise of hefty dividends.

Diaz also told reporters that they are now closing-in on the alleged brains of the syndicate. – Mike Frialde