Couple cons businessman over $1.7M
A Vergenogen, East Bank Essequibo businessman is now at his wits end as he pursues the possibility of reclaiming in excess of $1.7M that was conned from his business last weekend.
Businessman, Clement Tamessar holding one of the bogus cheques
During an interview with Kaieteur News yesterday, a stricken Clement Tamessar recounted the heartrending ordeal that has now left him and his business virtually penniless without a clear way forward.
The 53-year-old businessman, who operates Clement Establishment and Aluminium Doors explained that telephone orders for doors, windows and beds came from a couple – Charmaine Barakat and Sunil Barakat – who asked him to deliver the items and promising cheque payments.
He said that after sending the items last Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the drivers of the delivery canters had returned with seemingly authentic cheques. He had received three cheques – for $405,000, $590,000 and $716,000 – which totaled to $1,711,000.
He said the bad news came on Monday when he and his wife went to Demerara Bank Limited to cash the cheques but had instead learnt that the Barakats have no bank account there.
“I never see this person; these people would always call and make them order. We would normally send the stuff and the canter man would bring back the cheques,” the distressed man explained.
“I feel terrible, I want back my money or my goods. This left me broke as ever. I deh running all over to get this thing in order,” Tamessar lamented. He said that the drop offs were made at the back of Stabroek Market.
The businessman told Kaieteur News that when they visited the Lot 287 Albert Street, Queenstown, Georgetown address stated on the cheque, the neighbours told him that five other persons had come looking for these persons with similar complaints.
He said that reports have been made at the Leonora Police Station and the Criminal Investigations Division (CID) Headquarters at Eve Leary, Georgetown. It is now his hope that society, after reading about the ordeal, will assist the police in capturing the pair.
