Cops hunt for job racket kingpin

Mateen Hafeez I TNN

Mumbai: The economic offences wing (EOW) is hunting for the managing director of a company who promised to recruit young educated youths to work in international hotels and duped them of Rs 3 crore.

According to the EOW officials, the suspect, Viyanney Cardoz (45), who originally belongs to Goa, had floated a fake firm, Ninoshka, and placed advertisements in leading English newspapers. “He had earlier worked in the hotel industry in Goa and Dubai, so he has thorough knowledge about this industry,’’ the official said, adding that Cardoz took a rented office in Andheri and a rented flat in Malad but both were shut now. The police had earlier arrested three employees of Cardoz’s company who were later released on bail. So far, 108 victims have approached the cops.

“His advertisements, offering jobs in Jamaica, London, US and several other countries, had drawn the attention of students who had done hotel management courses,’’ the official said.

Cardoz then called the aspiring candidates at Hotel JW Marriot in Juhu for interviews and met them in the hotel’s lobby. “At that time, a woman and a man would be with him and they would conduct the interviews. The candidates would be given the impression that they would soon be part of international hotels,’’ the source said.

The candidates would be asked to deposit sums ranging between Rs 50,000 and Rs 1 lakh for visa and later they would be called for a medical checkup and personality test. The candidates were asked to give the attested copies of their ration cards, birth certificates, school leaving certificates and work experience. The candidates came to know about the fraud when they found Cardoz’s office closed and no reply on his contact numbers.

The Times of India, December 23, 2009