“I know the ambulance chasers are coming” was the reaction from Anthony Armstrong Emery. The alleged fraudster who duped more than 100 million US dollars from an unsuspecting global public. The fake housing development on the false assumption that
The project was Caixa Economica Federal approved for the Minha Casa Vida program in Brazil. Hardest hit, the Republic of Singapore investor community lost 50 million. UK investors were the second hardest hit.
However, criminal justice has dragged its heels with many complaints to the UK Met Office after no further action was sighted by the London Police Force stating the crime did not meet the Action Threshold for Investigation. This is in spite of the fact that investigating Met Officer Richard Kirk stated in 2017 that bank ledgers, evidence of company expenditure and international transfers was, ‘invaluable evidence’. Yet, no disclosure from the force as we go to press in 2021. Similarly, Singaporeans have been hanging with not one victim financially compensated to date.
The latest updates are that Mr. Armstrong has been arrested while on the run with his daughter and business partner in Dubai and awaiting extradition to Brazil which has, ‘in-principal’ approval at the request of the Brazilian Federal Public Ministry.
While in the Jakarta High Court, we caught up with lawyers handing the largest class action case against a timeshare company in Asia, Interval International, brought forward by Asia Claim. Indonesia’s very own private refund action group. It seemed that Asia Claim originally had shallow involvement with Ecohouse complainants five years ago. “He may have been served by now if co-operation had been forthright to a greater degree” proclaimed Rita Kartika, Chair of the refund committee. Having an informal chat with Mrs. Kartika while the Interval International case was in recess, we have learned of Asia Claim’s difficulties while victims were split for support with their own action with a Brazilian law firm that were experts in conveyancing not litigation. Notwithstanding, the Singapore agent for Ecohouse, Wendy Quek apposed the methodology of the group which looking back may not have been surprising, considering that our sources state she retired from the profits of marketing this scam, built a multimillion-dollar property in the Garden State, and slipped quietly into the background.
Now in the final race to Armstrong Emery having the hefty weight of the Brazilian Criminal Justice system being brought down upon him, Asia Claim are reconsidering their initial position in this matter. We can only wish them as much success with financial restitution for the victims as Asia Claim has delivered for other groups in the last twelve years.