TAWAU: A businesswoman claimed losses of more than RM5 million in “used gold” investments when her woman business partner failed to return money that belonged to her and more than 300 individuals.
The owner of Zerina Collection Sdn Bhd, Liana Friska Ramlee, 35, demanded that her business partner return the capital amounting to RM3,044,814.60 given in cash and via online transactions, saying she needed to return the money (investors).
She said the money partly belonged to her and other investors under her which were given to a company (her business partner) as capital to buy preloved gold and earn a profit when these were sold to factories.
She said she lodged a police report on Dec 14 when her business partner from an influential Tawau family did not cooperate fully to return the losses despite promising to do so, and even gave various unreasonable reasons.
“I request the police to investigate because we (investors) were deceived.
“This fraud is not simply a breach of contract but intentional deception to take money from a party who does not know the original purpose of the money being put into the account that committed the fraud,” she told a press conference here, Wednesday.
She was accompanied by lawyer Abdul Gani Zelika and some fellow investors who claimed to be victims.
She said the investors were from various districts in Sabah and not only business people but also “people struggling in life and working hard who had to sell land and withdraw Tabung Haji savings because they believed in her and who, in turn, trusted her business partner”.
Liana said her reputation and that of her company were now tarnished.
“I received many threats from investors who suffered losses when this issue arose in November and December.
“They were not satisfied and this has affected my emotions, mental and physical... I also fear for the safety of myself and my family,” she said.
Liana said she hooked up with her business partner in May 2023 before deciding to break in August 2023 and asked the partner to return the capital amounting of RM3,044,814.60.
According to her, they formed a Business Partner Agreement as First Business Partner (RNP) and she Second Business Partner (RNK).
Both agreed that RNP return all capital to RNK within a period of three months from date of the agreement.
She said the first month’s payment to be returned was the first capital amounting to RM3,178, 090.00 in October 2023 to RNK (Liana).
“The next month’s payment was the second capital amounting to RM2,189, 611.65 to be returned in November 2023 and the generation of profits continue until the capital is returned,” she said.
A model, Rendiani Mohd Rejab, 18, lost RM26,000 and an entrepreneur Osman Hermansyah, 26, lost RM383,000 and only managed to get back RM9,000.
Also claiming to have been cheated was Ale Rahman Abd Rauf, a representative of MG Jewel who lost RM2,369,000 in the form of seven kg of gold and cash.
Meanwhile, Abdul Gani said he has sent a notice to the business partner to be answered within 14 days but has not received any response.
