Filipina in textbook scam wanted in the US for swindling

THE woman who shook the nation by delivering P3 million in bribes to Malacañang 11 years ago is wanted in the United States for swindling and is believed to be in hiding in the Philippines.

Former textbook agent mary Ann T. Maslog, who tried bribing officials of the Department of Budget and Management in 1999 so that her firm could wangle a P200 million textbook contract, is now Mary Ann Smith and married to an American who allegedly became her partner in crime.

Court records in Orange County in Florida show that Maslog is wanted for theft and scheme to defraud. She is facing charges of grand theft amounting to more than $100,000 and scheme to defraud in the amount of $50,000 which are classified as criminal felonies punishable with imprisonment.

Maslog also has been charged with civil traffic infraction for improper backing.

A source who participated in the investigation, and who asked to be identified only as James Katarungan, told VERA Files that Maslog operates with her husband, Michael Lee Smith, who hails from Virginia.

Katarungan said Maslog has a bag of tricks and the more successful one is where she takes a job as a salesperson with a reputable company, normally in radio or print advertising.

After a few months, her husband gets an office in or near the building where she works, identifying himself as a sort of a career guidance counselor. The two then promise their victims jobs at the company where Maslog works, although she is in no position to do so.

Maslog would even show victims around her company’s office, explain how things work, and even introduce them to her co-workers who welcome these visitors thinking they were clients.

The couple would then require a deposit from their victims ranging from $2,000 to $10,000, supposedly to cover training in another city, either Houston or Washington, D.C., for six months. Once they get the money, they close shop and skip town.

“She’s done this scam in Virginia and in Florida,” Katarungan said.

Maslog was also into credit card fraud. “While working in sales, she took credit card numbers from paying customers and stole their identities. She defrauded one man in Orange County Florida for over $100,000 by having credit cards made in his name and sent to her. This particular victim owned a gas station and has since gone out of business and was forced into bankruptcy,” Katarungan said.

A number of people the Smiths had conned have gone to court. Maslog was charged with grant theft and scheme to defraud on Feb. 26, 2007 and was ordered arrested Dec. 18 that year.

Arraigned in open court while in jail on Jan. 8, 2008, Maslog posted a $5,000 bail bond for the grand theft charge and $1,500 for the scheme to defraud.

Court records showed she missed the hearing of her cases last Feb. 22 and that her lawyer, David Faulkner, had withdrawn his services.

Read more http://verafiles.org/main/focus/pinay-in-textbook-scam-wanted-in-the-us-for-swindling/