SAN DIEGO–After calling in sick for a morning preliminary hearing Merlinda Matuszewski, a Filipina accused of scamming her friends and family, appeared in court Thursday afternoon.
She tried prove she was too sick to appear for the morning hearing, but was later arrested.
On Thursday morning, victims and witnesses, who claimed Matuszewski swindled them, were ready to testify at the scheduled preliminary hearing.
Matuszewski is facing 7 felony counts of fraud which include selling a foreclosed home to an unknowing buyer, only for them to be evicted; staging the theft of her own car to claim insurance money; and forging names on tax returns and student loans. She is also accused of stealing over $20,000 from her victims; who were all her family and friends.
Matuszewski also missed a court appearance last September, blaming miscommunication with her previous lawyer.
“Medyo dilatory action ang ginagawa niya. We came from Anaheim to San Diego and pag katapos ganito ang nangyari.. I’m not really surprised with all these excuses,” said Manny Ocampo, one of the victims who was expecting to testify Thursday morning.
After a judge requested her attorney to bring proof of illness or risk arrest, Matuszewski showed up in person with a doctor’s note.
Matuszewski claimed she has been feeling sick since she arrived from her Philippine vacation earlier this month, and believes she may have malaria. She claimed she was at the hospital from 4 a.m. to 10 a.m.
Her attorney Peter Cameron explained, “She was undergoing testing. She wasn’t diagnosed with anything. She has severe symptoms.”
Prosecutors argued that Matuszewski is a flight risk. “Within the past week, she came back from the Philippines. She’s got ties there, she’s got family members there. I think she’s a flight risk. Who knows if she’s going to show up the next time?” argued deputy district attorney John Cross.
Judge Timothy Walsh ruled that her excuse claiming she was in the hospital not a good enough reason to skip the preliminary hearing where 8 witnesses were expected to testify against her.
“I think she willfully absented herself. It was more convenient for her to go to the hospital and not come here and I really don’t think that’s a legal basis for her to not show up,” ruled Walsh.
Prior to entering the courtroom, Matuszewski declined to speak on camera on Thursday but said she was considering issuing a statement soon.
She told Balitang America that she is innocent of the charges and vowed to fight the allegations.
Cameron, her second attorney since the case began last May, also declined to comment on the case. The alleged victims went home after the preliminary hearing was cancelled.
However, they welcomed the news of Matuszewski’s arrest.
Comments
Post a Comment