Rowena Villanueva, a woman who claimed to work in a physiotherapy clinic in Scarborough, Ontario, is being accused of swindling many Filipinos here.

 

Villanueva allegedly asked Filipinos to become co-investors in a physiotherapy clinic she was building. However, the plans to build a clinic did not push through, and the "investors" said their money was not returned. 

 

Abbygail Pascual is one of the alleged victims and claims to have been sweet-talked by Villanueva. She lost $90,000 in the scam. 

 

“She drew up a contract and then we signed it. (Later), phone calls weren’t being returned, text messages weren’t being returned that’s when I pretty much realized that she might not give me back my money,” said Pascual.

 

Villanueva’s scheme was reported in the Toronto Star, a few weeks after another report on a Filipina dry cleaner who is suspected of running an immigration scam. 

 

Toronto Star reporter Dale Brazao said alleged victims of the physiotherapy clinic scam approached the newspaper to ask for help.

 

“(Villanueva) was supposedly offering incredible rates of interest of 7 to 10% a month, when the banks are offering 2% a year,” said Brazao. 

 

“Once I began investigating, I realized the whole thing is a fraud. There was no clinic, there were no doctors. This is a paper fraud,” he added. 

 

Soon after the story broke, more alleged victims of Villanueva came out. 

 

In a recent meeting of alleged victims, there were estimates Villanueva might have embezzled close to $1.5 million. She is now being sought by police.

 

Several victims have sought police assistance but were told by the authorities that no arrests could be made at this time since this is a civil case.