Conman continues to trick educational facilities
artemio acosta
Almost a year ago, he was convicted for conning a number of persons who fell victim to his scams. Well he’s back; Artemio Acosta has surfaced with a partner in crime, and is moving around in the old capital and in the Hattieville area. This time he is preying on unsuspecting schools or anyone who would dare to believe he is an honest businessman. News Five’s Isani Cayetano reports on the conman who targets schools.
Isani Cayetano, Reporting
Convicted conman thirty-five year old Artemio Acosta is once again making his rounds across the Belize District targeting schools and small businesses. Almost a year ago Acosta was hit with a string of charges after he obtained money and property from several companies and primary schools under the guise of being a graphic designer. In the days that followed his arrest a number of victims came out of the woodworks with charges that he also received advance payment from them but failed to deliver the services or goods he had promised. Since Monday of this week Acosta along with another man have been frequenting the Hattieville area. Principal, Kimberly Ramclam, of the Seventh Day Adventist Primary School says he approached her recently wanting to do the school’s artwork.
Kimberly Ramclam, Principal, Hattieville SDA Primary School
kimberly ramclam
“Mr. Acosta came this afternoon offering his services this time stencil work, painting signs, anything along that line noh, and indicating that if he were to do something for us he would require and upfront deposit.”
Of the many people he requested a deposit from was Sebastian Cayetano, owner and curator of the Luba Garifuna Museum in Belize City. In October of 2009, Cayetano was swindled out of money by Acosta.
Sebastian Cayetano, Owner, Luba Garifuna Museum
sebastian cayetano
“Last year Artemio approached us offering to get us some items from Mexico. The offer sounded very good, very attractive in the matter of like t-shirts and other artifacts that we bought into it. Well, on my part I was able to advance him two hundred dollars and waited for the arrival of the other things before I would deliver the rest. Nothing arrived, all I heard later on on TV that he’s a con artist and I thought that he would have been put away for a while at least noh and learn a lesson.”
Acosta, who was arraigned in the Magistrates Court in November of last year, was granted bail in the cumulative sum of three thousand dollars but despite those charges he is back to his old ways. According to Diane Garnett, the principal of Hattieville Government School, Acosta also approached her this afternoon with the same proposal.
diane garnett
Diane Garnett, Principal, Hattieville Government School
“The thing about it is I remembered his face and [uhm] while he was speaking to me a fellow principal from the SDA had called and informed me that she needed to speak to me urgently but for me to call her back so I asked him for a pause and I called her back and she informed me and I said yes I know and so I just dismissed him without giving him any hint that I knew who he was but didn’t make any business arrangements with him. He said he was doing business with E.P. Yorke and Gwen Liz so he used those as his reference with me.”
It turns out Acosta had used the very same recommendations with Ramclam who, as we mentioned earlier, requested payment in advance.
Kimberly Ramclam
“When he mentioned the upfront deposit lights just started lighting up because I could recall attending a principal meeting last school and his picture was circulated telling us that he has been going around to various primary schools [uhm] promoting t-shirts saying he can make them and took orders and requested an upfront deposit as well but did not show up with the product.”
Among the schools he conned last year was St. Ignatius Primary School in Belize City. It, like Guadalupe R.C. School in Maskall Village and another primary school in Lucky Strike fell victim to his scam. Cayetano warns businesses and schools to be on the guard.
Sebastian Cayetano
“I would say to our schools and to small businesses to be very, very careful, extremely careful when doing business with people like this and to be watchful, you know, to look out for certain clues so that we don’t be taken for another ride.”
Reporting for News Five, Isani Cayetano.
Convicted a year ago, and free to steal again? CRIME PAYS IN BELIZE.
Criminals should be given fair trials, but if they are convicted THEY MUST BE PUNISHED HARSHLY.
The criminals are thumbing their noses at the justice system because our courts are too lenient.
Since he is selling himself as a graphic artist, don’t send him to Kolbe. Give him a paint brush & some paint & have him beautify the city starting with the schools he burned or tried to burn while wearing a sign that tells everyone why he is doing it. If he balks, take away whatever he owns until he wises up & can appreciate the value of hard work.
These animals will never go away on their own, which is the reason why the law should imprison them for life.
Make a mental note of his ugly face business people, if he makes the mistake of walking through your door, shoot him.
His sentence n the repercussions were obviously not stiff enough. The schools n these small businesses r already trying hard to make it n he tries to take away from them. My grandmother always use vto say “who lie, steal, and who steals will kill” he should b stopped n prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
Lock him up and throw away the key! He’s obviously a repeat offender, and will do it again & again. Far easier for him than actually working for a living, paying taxes and having responsibilities that us law abiding citizens do.
The magistrates need to be replaced by those who are actually willing to punish law breakers, instead of giving them light fines & sentences, bail (Rapists get bail here!) etc.
Nationalise the prison, make time mean time, and hard labour for all inmates. they refuse to work, then don’t feed them! Make the prison the last place on earth that any sane person would ever want to go to. Once that is done, round up all the known thieves, killers, robbers, rapists and child molesters and take them there! Clean Belize up once & for all. While we’re at it, throw the Politicians in there too, as theey are the biggest criminals around!
MADDYVANDIJK/DEREALIST says:
Make a mental note of his ugly face business people, if he makes the mistake of walking through your door, shoot him.
MADDY SURREALIST………… We’ll give you the GUN to shoot him, THEN YOU WILL BE WORSE THAN HE IS.
If you haven’t noticed…….. it’s a non-violent crime. HARD LABOUR SHOULD BE ENOUGH!!!
This guy scammed my company for $800 dollars for the same thing, I was to pay 1600 Dollars, but I paid only 50%. Never saw him again,, after 6 months i reported to the Police three hours giving statements, NADA, then 3 months ago Police, requested that I help with their investigation, again 2 hrs giving statements, as the Prosecution wanted more information, They told me he was in Hotel Ladyville and that he was being taken to Crown Court over more scams and my statement was necessary .
Now he is back on the streets doing the same S**t, what a waste of time, My company no longer supports business here in Belize for Company promotional items, T Shirts, Work Shirts etc, We go to Cancun and buy, pain to go there, but we dont get scammed,. and we totally refuse to give to beggars or organisations that come into our office asking for donations, as we got scammed 150 bucks for a station prize for a cycle race that didnt exist, When i reported this the police laughed. Yes I deserved it as I should have checked more carefully, but this only goes to show why us business people are not so charitable anymore to worthwhile causes. And Belize is gaining a absolutely deserved reputaion as one of the most corrupt and scam capitals of the world, I know of at least 4 persons who have decided not to come to belize and start business.