By Denise Clarke,
Staff Reporter
WESTERN BUREAU:
ANOTHER PARTNER plan operator has been taken into custody, as the Montego Bay police continue their investigation into the operations of the get-rich-quick schemes.
Kenneth Chue, who operated the Fast Cash Partner Plan, was held by the police on Monday, when he turned up at the St. James Divisional Headquarters claiming that he had lost money invested in the Speedy Cash Partner Plan. Mr. Chue reportedly told the police that he is unable to repay millions of dollars, which he collected from his clients. He allegedly told the police that he had reinvested the money collected by his pyramid scheme in the Speedy Cash Partner Plan. Mr. Chue has not been formally charged but he could be slapped with several charges of fraud, if clients of the Fast Cash Partner plan report their losses to the police.
The plan started operating in February of this year, but according to one member, no money has ever been paid out from this scheme. "Him tell us to go up there on Monday (April 2) and he would pay us back de money we put in. When we go up there the place close down."
Constabulary Communication Network liaison officer Peter Salkey told The Gleaner that there is not direct evidence to charge Mr. Chue since no-one from that plan has come forward to give a statement. The police are, however, continuing their investigation into Mr. Chue's operations.
Esmie Jones, the operator of the Speedy Cash Partner Plan, pleaded guilty to eleven counts of fraud in the Montego Bay Resident Magistrates Court yesterday. Mrs. Jones was arrested and charged by the Fraud Squad last weekend, thousands of persons who had deposited money in the failed scheme demonstrated in Sam Sharpe Square and demanded that their money be repaid.
Yesterday, The Gleaner visited the Quick and Reliable Plan operating in Market Circle, and saw about 200 persons demanding that their money be repaid. Some members of the crowd expressed anger at what they called exploitation by the operators of the plan, who are withdrawing an 'administration fee' of $1000 from each $6000 deposited in the plan.
