Confidence trickster takes hotel proprietors to the cleaners

Dec 06, 2018 News

Proprietors of the Gold is Gold Hotel on the Essequibo Coast, were recently taken by surprise by a man who supposedly claims to be the owner of a mining operation in the Puruni Backdam. Kaieteur News understands that the man who checked into the hotel on November 25, allegedly made off with $105,000 in cash and $175,000 in valuables, all within the space of three days.

“The man who allegedly pulled off the scam.”

The Gold is Gold hotel is located in Aurora, some 4.7 kilometers from Supenaam. It is run by businessman Nazeer Buksh and his wife, Bibi Sahiza Khan.
According to Ms. Khan, the man who identified himself only as Kelvin, checked into the hotel about 4:30 pm on November 25. The man, she said, wasted no time buying over her trust, and that of her staff.
She added, “The Sunday he come in he start gaff and he book in and said he will stay five days, that he went and do business.
He said that he got an operation in the Puruni Backdam and he buy a bush truck and it deh at the mechanic… The way this man gaffing he give everybody the impression that he is an innocent soul and a person you can trust with anything.”
Kaieteur News understands that the scam started the following day, Monday. According to the proprietor, the man borrowed $35,000 from her, claiming that he will repay her after selling his gold and transacting his business.
That same day, the con man visited a barber shop in Hibernia where he allegedly cut his hair. Kaieteur News understands that the barber also sells on a small scale, clothing and cell phones. The trickster, after winning over the barber with his beguiling talk, credited a cell phone valuing $35,000 along with a Jersey, Pants and a slippers.

“The Gold is Gold Hotel.”

On Tuesday morning, the man requested a taxi to conduct his ‘business’ around the coast. According to the Ms. Khan, she contacted her nephew since her regular taxi was unavailable.
Based on reports, the taxi driver, Insaf Latchman, was reportedly wearing a gold chain that valued some $135,000. The man allegedly borrowed the gold chain and took it to a gold smith, claiming that he wanted to copy the design to make one of his own when he burns his gold. The chain was later returned to the taxi driver and locked in a storage compartment in the car.
This publication understands that the man made a few more stops along the coast that day; one in Lima Sands and the other in Anna Regina. Later during the day the man indicated to the taxi driver, that he has three other men coming into the region, and requested that a pickup be made in Charity, while he remains in Anna Regina.
What happened next, the woman explained, “My nephew went to Charity and after half an hour, he called and he said he there half hour and no one make contact with he. He said that when he look in the car he see that the man left the hotel room key in the car, and he carry he clothes with he.
“Right away my nephew said like we gon get rob here.”
Kaieteur News understands that the $135,000 gold chain, which was stored in the storage compartment of the car, was also missing.
Ms. Khan explained that her nephew stop at the gold smith, where he had dropped off the goldsmith previously. Upon enquires, however, Khan learnt that the goldsmith was never home that day, but was in Georgetown.
“He was red skin. Though the hair cut short I could’ve seen that he was straight hair. He got a tattoo on his neck and his tooth got capped gold. Two or three of the teeth in the bottom were colored red, green and gold.”
The matter was reported to the police on the Essequibo Coast and investigation into the matter continues. Based on additional reports reaching this publication, the man also conned two other individuals of cash.
Persons who have information on the individual are asked to make contact with the hotel proprietors on cell number 592-665-7658.