By Steve Angeles, ABS-CBN North America Bureau
June 4, 2011
SAN DIEGO, Calif. ? Nickel Eco claims he was victimized by his Filipina real estate agent and accountant. He says Merlinda Matuskewski sold a home to him in 2008 without telling him and his wife it was foreclosed. He claims she then ran off with their $12,000 down payment, as they were being evicted. At the same time, the Ecos claim that Matuszewski, who also did teir taxes as their accountant, took their $4,000 tax refund after she told them they did not have one. Eco says the incident left him sleepless and depressed.
Police arrested Matuszewski in late May on 5 felony counts which include fraud and theft worth almost $20,000 and are continuing to investigate the San Diego based real estate agent.
She?s been charged with two counts of use of personal identifying information of another as well as two counts of grand theft of personal property and one count of making or prescribing a fraudulent tax return, explained San Diego Deputy District Attorney John Cross.
Matuszewski appeared in court Thursday afternoon and asked to postpone her arraignment until June 16th. Eco joined other alleged victims in court. They claim she targeted friends and family.
Matuszewski?s former best friend Neinei Ocampo claims that her name was used to cosign for Matuszewski?s son?s student loan without her knowing. Ocampo said it hurt and the trust has been broken between them. Matuszewski, who is out on $50,000 bail declined to be interviewed on camera, however she claims that she is innocent of the accusations and she vowed to fight to prove her innocence.
You may contact Steve Angeles at steve_angeles@abs-cbn.com for more information.
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