Yexel Sebastian, Wife Flee to Japan Amid 200M Scam Allegation

• Yexel Sebastian, a well-known Filipino toy collector, and influencer, along with his wife Mikee Agustin, are accused of swindling approximately ₱200 million, primarily from Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).
• Alleged victims claimed that Sebastian and Agustin lured them into investing substantial sums of money, promising monthly payouts of 3%-5%. Some victims were asked for a minimum deposit of ₱1 million, while others had a ₱200,000 minimum. 
• The couple abruptly left for Japan during the investigation; the Bureau of Immigration noted that they left when no legal actions had been filed against them yet.

Yexel Sebastian, a well-known Filipino toy collector and influencer, and the brother of the late famous YouTuber Jam Sebastian, and his wife Mikee Agustin, an online influencer who first started as a member of the all-girl group Girltrends in the famous noontime show It’s Showtime, are being accused of swindling around ₱200 million from mostly Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs). The Bureau of Investigation (BI) confirmed that the two fled to Japan in the midst of the allegations.

Scam Allegation

In one of the episodes of Philippine Senator Raffy Tulfo’s show “Raffy Tulfo in Action,” the alleged victims of Yexel Sebastian’s alleged scam have sought assistance. The segment featured various victims who claimed that Yexel Sebastian and Mikee Agustin influenced them to invest substantial sums of money.

According to the victims, some of them were required to deposit a minimum of ₱1 million, while others had a ₱200,000 minimum. They stated that they only discovered the situation after coming together, as Yexel had ceased responding to their messages. Although some had skepticism towards investing, they stated that they were enticed with the promise of a monthly payout of 3%-5% of their initial investments. 

Known toy collector Yexel Sebastian and his wife Mikee Agustin, who were tagged in an alleged ₱200M investment scam, were able to leave the country on Monday amid an ongoing investigation. https://t.co/bbIbC3cvDk

— CNN Philippines (@cnnphilippines) October 10, 2023

The victims also noted that despite being provided a contract, it was labeled a “contract of loan” and had been notarized by an attorney. Allegedly, Yexel managed to accumulate approximately ₱200 million, with most victims being Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).

In a Facebook post, one of their investors pleaded with the couple to respond to their messages. 

“Nagmamakaawa po ang mga OFW AT ABROAD NA NAGINVEST SAINYO. MERON DIN SA PINAS MGA NAGLABAS NG PERA.Sana po kausapin nyo kami. 2mos na pong delayed ang aming kita sa Inenvest namin sa inyo. Kayo ang kausap namin sana makipagusap kayo ng maayos saamen. Binlock ako ni Yexel. Inunfriend ako ni Mikee sa Personal facebook nya. bakit po ganun? maayos kami naglabas ng pera. sana maayos din kayong makipagusap sa amin. Na-i-e-stress na kami,” they wrote. 

[Translation: OFWs and individuals abroad who invested in you are begging for your attention. There are also people in the Philippines who invested money. Please, talk to us. Our earnings from our investments with you have been delayed for two months. You were the ones we talked to, so please communicate with us properly. Yexel blocked me, and Mikee unfriended me on her personal Facebook. Why is that? We dealt with our investments properly. Please, have a conversation with us. We are getting stressed out.]

In the same episode, Tulfo contacted Yexel Sebastian by phone. Yexel attempted to explain that he was also a “victim” as he was merely an investor. He claimed that all investors’ funds were handed over to a man named Hector Pantollana, who intended to use the millions in a casino junket he owned. 

“In-explain ko naman po sa kanila na kami rin ay investor lang din po talaga. ‘Di po kami ang may ari nito, yaan po ay kay Hector Pantollana; siya po yung signatory,” Sebastian stated. 

When asked where the money was, Sebastian replied that it was in their office. When Tulfo asked if the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) could go to the office to retrieve the money, the call was abruptly cut off.

Sources say the couple fled abroad

During the show, Tulfo revealed that someone he knows informed him that they had boarded the same Cebu Pacific flight as the couple and were headed to Nagoya, Japan. The senator disclosed the same information during a senate meeting to discuss the scam allegations.

A report states that the Bureau of Immigration (BI) confirmed that Sebastian and his wife departed for Japan on Monday, October 9, amidst an ongoing investigation into their alleged scam involvement. According to BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco, no motions or cases have been filed against the couple at this time—the bureau will not be able to hold someone’s departure unless there is a court order.

What charges could the couple face?

Although the couple are claiming that there is another person behind them, individuals who were allegedly deceived by them have the option to initiate criminal proceedings.

In accordance with the Revised Penal Code (Act No. 3815) of the Philippines, Sebastian and Agustin can and will be legally prosecuted for Estafa and if they are found guilty, they may be subject to imprisonment. As per attorney.org.ph, the couple could face 20 years in prison due to the amount they swindled.

Recent Scam News in PH

In early October, celebrity couple Mikee Quintos and Paul Salas, along with seven others, filed an estafa complaint, alleging a scam worth ₱8 million against Cronus Holding Corporation. Victims expected substantial returns but were allegedly defrauded. 

Read: Recent Major Cryptocurrency-Related Scams in the Philippines

This article is published on BitPinas: Yexel Sebastian, Wife Flee to Japan Amid 200M Scam Allegation

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