Life And Fraud In The DR

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Lambada

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A little item caught my eye in Listin Diario last Friday. It appears that a Pakistani with Swedish citizenship, Sattar Qureshi, has been remanded in custody to Najayo jail for allegedly 'selling' the Hotel Jaragua in Santo Domingo to Jitendra Dahya, Jay Patel and separately to Wilfried Hoedt, for a total of some US$4.3 million. Mr. Qureshi has some 17 legal matters outstanding in the US according to the Fiscal, as reported in Listin.
La Rep?blica - Extranjero ir? a la c?rcel por?vender? el hotel Jaragua
I'm sure there is a lot we don't know, but according to the report Mr. Qureshi passed himself off as the major shareholder of the Hotel Company and took the potential purchasers on tours of the Hotel. It would also appear from the report that the potential purchasers actually handed over money as their deposit.

I wish they had posted their intentions here on DR1 - I'm sure that someone somewhere would have been able to help them avoid the Brooklyn Bridge syndrome. For non-Spanish readers Dominican Today has the story in English
http://www2.dominicantoday.com/dr/local/2009/1/9/30682/Swede-is-sent-to-jail-for-selling-Hotel-Jaragua-for-US43M

Further reports are here:
caribepreferente.com

CERTVDOMINICANA
 
Mar 2, 2008
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Lambada,
Thanks for the information. I know this kind of thing happens all over the world, and the DR is not at all different, but it is amazing how this guy took his potential investors on tours of the hotel, and was apparently traveling in the circle of the rich and famous, and no one suspected that anything was amiss.

Do you know how this character was finally caught? Did he know someone in the high places of government? Other accomplices?

I might have missed those facts in the articles I read, but I don't think a full explanation was included, at least not in the Dominicantoday article.
 

Robert

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I met the guy for lunch a few months back with a couple of other DR1 people, he was very convincing!

He appeared to know all the staff and acted as if he owned a chunk of the hotel.
He talked about buying the Casino next door, his brother that had an airline in Asia
and his new apartment on Anacona etc etc etc. He was with a Swedish guy at the
time, who passed himself off as an ex-pilot.

I'm glad he picked up the lunch bill :)
 
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Thank you Robert. I guess if you got taken in by the guy's sincerity anyone could.

There are some real smooth characters out there, and it never ceases to amaze me how well they are able to lie and convince others of the wildest things.

If I even told a little fib I'd be sweating bullets and stuttering, and I wouldn't be able to fool anyone.
 

AZB

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Don't forget the guy has already collected close to a million dollars in deposit. i wonder if he is planning on buying his way out of jail. lets see, anything is possible here.
AZB
 

Mccoolhill

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Some Pakistans with Norwegian citizenship did something of the same in Brazil last year, so I guess these people have this as a speciality.
 

Lambada

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Do you know how this character was finally caught? Did he know someone in the high places of government? Other accomplices?

I might have missed those facts in the articles I read, but I don't think a full explanation was included, at least not in the Dominicantoday article.

I don't know any more than I read in the papers, catcher, (& I'm naturally suspicious of what I read :cheeky:). But since the case hasn't been heard yet (he has been remanded in custody) I guess a lot more will come out at the hearing.

I'm hoping your lunch was a social do, Robert. I'm assuming you weren't a potential investor in the Jaragua ;). I'm also assuming that Mr Qureshi wasn't signing up to be a DR1 advertiser...................:)

What I don't understand is why the victims handed money over. They didn't have lawyers? The lawyers didn't do their homework?

I'm sure the guy was convincing - conmen are. And this one appears to have years of experience at it. And it would be easy enough to establish a presence at the hotel so that everyone appeared to know him (the staff might not even have been in on the scam).

i wonder if he is planning on buying his way out of jail.

He may already have people in his pocket. The Prosecutor didn't ask for a remand in custody according to Listin, but for bail set at RDS$160,000 (not a lot!) & an impedimiento de salir. Fortunately the judge was aware of the flight risk.

The other thing I don't understand is..............does no-one google these days? There's a heap of stuff going back to 1992 (these articles are from 1999)

'Impressing would-be investors comes easily to Shimmy Qureshi. A jet-setting international businessman who drives Ferraris and swings a polo mallet with some of the world's top players, Qureshi seems a model of successful enterprise. Even his first name - Sheikh - hints at membership in an elite social circle. But not everyone who does business with Qureshi has been happy with the results. At least 17 civil lawsuits and one federal bankruptcy action accuse the Wellington millionaire of bilking partners and clients or defaulting on loans. Plaintiffs range from one of the wealthiest men in the country to a bankrupt Cayman Islands bank.'
sheik

sheik2

Yes he mixes with the rich & famous - according to this (two thirds down) he was managing a stud farm in Texas, ownership in the name of Asif Zardari (current President of Pakistan).
PPP Deceives Pakistan | Pakistan Politics

In fact according to this he IS the rich & famous - scroll down to No 20.
Pakistans Most Rich Men and Families of 2008 - most rich men of Pakistan, most rich families of Pakistan, most richest person of Pakistan, sab say ameer log, Pakistan kay ameer loog

But, you know, anyone reading this stuff would have to have, at the very least, a few questions. No?
 

mountainannie

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Oh I Love this

Because really - it takes a lot to run a con on this level-- there was a blurb a while back in Listin which I use as my standard Dominican joke-
The mayor of Miami needs the town hall painted and sends out for bids. He gets three, one for 3 million from a Swiss, one of 6 million from an American from an American, and one of 9 million from a Dominican. So he calls the bidders in to explain their bids.

The Swiss says: We use really good quality paint, so that will cost $1 million. Then there is the equipment, insurance and overhead, for another million, and $1 million for the workers.

The American says: We use three coats of environmentally sensitive paint which will cost $3 million, then there is the equipment, insurance and overhead for another two million, and $1 million for the workers.

The Dominican says: Listen. It is $3 million for you. Three million for me. And we hire the Swiss to do the job.

So running a con on the Dominicans, at the Jaragua.... THAT is worth making a movie...
 
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AZB

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Some Pakistans with Norwegian citizenship did something of the same in Brazil last year, so I guess these people have this as a speciality.

you have reached a very convincing conclusion. Can you please tell me what is your nationality so I can dig up some dirt on you?
AZB
 

AZB

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I also know Mr. Qureshi and met him with robert. He did seem like a wealthy man with contacts. I was under the impression he owns quite a few dominican powerful folks under his thumb.
The case could be totally false and Mr.Qureshi could be an innocent man. Maybe it was all just a big mess and he was chosen as a scape goat. Lets see what comes out of it. He maybe legit. I wouldn't trust dominicans news 100%. They always change their facts.
I will cal his number to see who picks up.
AZB
 

A.Hidalgo

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Don't forget the guy has already collected close to a million dollars in deposit. i wonder if he is planning on buying his way out of jail. lets see, anything is possible here.
AZB

Hey primo just wondering, were you at that meeting with Robert and the Pak con man? Robert has indicated there were some other DR1 members there also. Hopefully some of your loose change did not end up in his pockets.:cheeky:
 

AZB

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Hey primo just wondering, were you at that meeting with Robert and the Pak con man? Robert has indicated there were some other DR1 members there also. Hopefully some of your loose change did not end up in his pockets.:cheeky:

i was at the meeting, i was the one who was invited but I took along robert and another dr1'er from capital. the guy was presented to me by another Dr1'er who called me and put me on the phone with him. Mr. Qureshi suffers from a backache so he wanted to know me and perhaps, get an adjustment. We were there in a group and talked about various topics, from total BS to remodeling of jaragua. he wanted nothing from us as we had little to offer him. he has invited me many times to SD so he can have his back checked. We could never connect as he was always out of the country or I was busy.
he seemed like a normal rich fellow who has been around the block a few times.
I won't be surprised if he is totally innocent. then again i won't be surprised either, if he is a 100% high class con artist. It can swing either way.
In all fairness, he treated me and my friends with respect and generosity. i hope all comes out well in his favor.
AZB
 

Lambada

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he seemed like a normal rich fellow who has been around the block a few times. AZB

Yes many of these people live in several countries at the same time, I understand. For example, when he lost his brother a year ago he appeared to be living in Marbella (Spain). There is obviously more than one spelling of the surname.
Shahid Quraeshi

The case could be totally false and Mr.Qureshi could be an innocent man. Maybe it was all just a big mess and he was chosen as a scape goat. Lets see what comes out of it. He maybe legit. I wouldn't trust dominicans news 100%. They always change their facts.
I will cal his number to see who picks up. AZB

AZB is absolutely correct - Mr Qureshi has not been found guilty or sentenced. All we have from Listin is that he has been charged with the offence and remanded in custody pending investigation. That is, if Listin reported correctly and like AZB I'm always suspicious of what I read. If they didn't get it right I'm sure AZB (& Mr. Qureshi's lawyers!) will correct them. The good thing is that AZB can phone this person and get accurate information. Keep us posted AZB.
 

Thandie

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. he wanted nothing from us as we had little to offer him......... In all fairness, he treated me and my friends with respect and generosity. AZB

lol....the above statement sounds so darn familiar. I think we have heard many female tourists say the same thing when talking about a sanky they met at a resort, who is grooming his prey. ?Oh he is a nice and respectful guy who never asked me for anything and he even paid for dinner and drinks?
LOL Classic!
 
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I also know Mr. Qureshi and met him with robert. He did seem like a wealthy man with contacts. I was under the impression he owns quite a few dominican powerful folks under his thumb.
The case could be totally false and Mr.Qureshi could be an innocent man. Maybe it was all just a big mess and he was chosen as a scape goat. Lets see what comes out of it. He maybe legit. I wouldn't trust dominicans news 100%. They always change their facts.
I will cal his number to see who picks up.
AZB

Mr Qureshi is a very nice person,treated me very well while staying in the capital, He could quite possibly be innocent of all these charges.
 

AZB

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I have phoned him but as expected, his cell is turned off.
i wonder what is the procedure of visiting someone in jail on weekends?
AZB
 

Chirimoya

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He did lead you to believe that he was a part owner of the Jaragua hotel, though, are you saying that may have been true?
 

Thandie

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He did lead you to believe that he was a part owner of the Jaragua hotel, though, are you saying that may have been true?

Exactly! LOL
This thread needs to be in the sanky thread. lol
This man has a long list of people he fooled...even some savy DR1?rs
Isnt it obvious what this guy is.....a very smart sanky...oh I mean conman!
 
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