Manhunt on for British ‘estapador’

A local court has issued an arrest warrant for British trader Lavish Mohan Paryani and a co-accused in connection with a P16-million estafa case filed by a Filipino businessman.

The Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Marikina City issued the warrant following a complaint filed by the Department of Justice (DoJ) under Article 315 of the Revised Penal Code, as amended, on 21 February 2025.

In its ruling, the DoJ disclosed that there is “prima facie evidence with reasonable certainty of conviction” to indict Paryani and Reigna Reyes for estafa.

Marikina RTC Branch 263 Presiding Judge Rey Penacerrada Inciong, who issued the warrant, declared the offense “not bailable.”

According to the complaint, Paryani and Reyes allegedly used “false pretenses” by claiming they had a purchase order for 100 units of Apple Pro Vision worth P20 million from Solaire North.

They allegedly convinced businessman Mark Joseph de Guia to co-finance the transaction with P10 million, promising a P2 million interest.

To assure De Guia of timely repayment, Paryani allegedly issued a post-dated check for P16 million in exchange for the P10 million cash and guaranteed that the check would be funded upon encashment.

However, when the check was presented to the bank on 25 November 2024, it was dishonored due to a “closed account.”

The complainant said a demand letter to pay the dishonored check was sent to the respondents, but they failed to fund the account.

The DoJ stated that De Guia would not have provided the P10 million “had it not been for the issuance of the subject check.”