The Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed fresh criminal charges for estafa and illegal recruitment against London-based Italian entrepreneur Adel En Nouri and three others in connection with an alleged overseas employment scam.
Also named in the information are Mohammed En Nouri, Yuness En Nouri and Jayson Panginen Andasan, who were charged with two counts of illegal recruitment committed by a syndicate and two counts of estafa under Article 315(2)(a) of the Revised Penal Code.
The information was filed on 5 June before the Regional Trial Court in Tanauan City, Batangas after the DOJ-Office of the City Prosecutor found probable cause and sufficient basis to prosecute the accused.
The case stemmed from complaints filed by Jinky Fernandez and Jefferson Manzano, who alleged they were recruited for restaurant jobs in Dubai.
According to the complainants, they visited the office of Razon Manpower International in Sto. Tomas City, Batangas on 21 March 2025 after receiving a referral for overseas employment opportunities.
They said Andasan and nine other Filipino respondents arranged an online meeting with the En Nouris, who introduced themselves as foreign employers.
The complainants returned on 27 March 2025 for another online conference, during which they were allegedly offered restaurant jobs in Dubai with promised monthly salaries ranging from P80,000 to P100,000.
After undergoing orientation, the victims claimed they each paid a P100,000 placement fee, which was allegedly received by Andasan.
However, after submitting the required payments and documents, the respondents allegedly became evasive whenever they inquired about the status of their applications.
The complainants later discovered that neither the respondents nor the company were registered or authorized to recruit workers for overseas employment.
Batangas Deputy City Prosecutor Geronimo Gonzales dismissed the complaints against nine other respondents for insufficiency of evidence.
The latest case adds to the legal troubles facing En Nouri.
On 4 March, the Regional Trial Court in Bacoor City issued a warrant of arrest against him and several co-accused in a non-bailable qualified human trafficking case.
Another arrest warrant was issued on 10 April by the same court, ordering the arrest of En Nouri and his co-accused on charges of serious illegal detention and large-scale illegal recruitment in separate cases filed by the DOJ.
The alleged victims have also urged the DOJ and the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking to intensify efforts to serve the outstanding warrants and have asked the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group to seek the issuance of an Interpol Red Notice to facilitate En Nouri's arrest and prosecution before a Philippine court.
