Alleged forex scam brains’ kin now in jail

By Felipe V. Celino

ROXAS CITY, Capiz – The five family members of Lourdes Bulaqueña-Baarde, the alleged mastermind of a foreign exchange investment scam here, joined her inside the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) detention facility at Brgy. San Jose.

A commitment order was issued by Regional Trial Court Judge Lorencito Diaz of Branch 17 here on Monday against Roy, Norberto, Dominica, Oscar and Jennifer, all with surname Bulaqueña.

The court scheduled the arraignment of the suspects accused of syndicated estafa on March 25, 2020.

Several observers and court employees were surprised to witness when Lourdes approached her parents, kneeled before them, and asked forgiveness. The parents also cried after accepting her apology.

Lourdes and her business partner Joel Damayan were first arrested by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and the police in Manila late last year. The two were brought back here and remitted to the BJMP.

Last week, the five family members of Lourdes were arrested on the strength of warrant of arrest issued by Diaz.

Lourdes was accused of syndicated estafa after she failed to return the huge amount of money invested by several individuals in her Forex Investment Scheme.