Monrovia — Mr. Victor Zelee of the USA has alleged that Mr. Erasmus T. Williams also of the USA, but now advisor to the Liberia Petroleum Refinery Company (LPRC), of embezzling and duping him of US$ 37,710 in a car dealership business. And Mr. Zelee is afraid that if care is not taken, Williams will use President Boikai to dupe other business people as he did him in the US.
"I see Erasmus in pictures with President Joseph Boikai and he will use those pictures to dupe business people under false pretext of being the president's right-hand man. I am sounding out this warning because Williams is a crock and a dangerous man. Williams is always in close proximity with the president and his family and only God knows what he is already doing in President Boikai's name," he said
Speaking in an interview from the US via mobile, Zelee, said he met Mr. Williams at a friend's mother funeral in 2015 and later in 2016, they agreed to go into a car dealership business with the agreement that, Zelee takes 60% while Williams took 40 percent.
"Mr. Erasmus T Williams extorted $ 37,710 from me that I put in a business proposal that Mr. Williams brought to my attention. Mr. Williams presented himself to me as Chair of OLM (Organization of Liberian in Minnesota's Board, and considering that people, who serve as community leaders should be trusted, so I gave him the money that I have worked for with sacrifices made, now this guy is in the top elite of the Unity Party," he said
Zelee furthered narrated that Williams told him that he purchases cars from the auction and he was a representative on a friend's dealership license, so he agreed to go with Williams proposal, and they wrote out a contract that he Zelee will invest $10,000 for the tax season which ended April 15thof that year.
According to the signed contract, Williams was going to be the agent, while Investor Zelee would receive weekly update, monthly report and a comprehensive financial report of entire investment funds, which never happened.
"The first day Williams went to the auction, he brought back a receipt of US$12,360 for three cars purchased, I saw the cars information, and in order to make profit, I wrote him a check for $ 12,360 to pay off the cars. The second day he brought back US$ 12,000 receipt for the three cars he bided on, and I wrote him another check of US$ 12,000. Without my consent he brought back another receipt of US$ 8,050 for two nice cars, so I wrote Erasmus a check of $US 8,050. However, two of the cars he bought, needed some repair, so I wrote him another check of US$ 3,300 to have the cars repair," he said.
He said the entire cars purchasing occurred within less than two weeks when he wrote Erasmus the total of $ 37,710 in checks, while their initial contract was to only invest US$ 10,000 but Erasmus kept on biding for cars without his approval. And after purchasing the cars, Williams sent him an email with all the cars listing and the total sale value for the cars purchased at US$ 47,800 with profit of $ 10,090.
"I send Williams a text the following week that it was time to start selling the cars, because I needed my US$ 37,710 back as soon as possible. Upon my request, Williams turned into a monster because he had all the cars title, for the next two months. I sent him countless text and phone calls, requesting my investment funds and profit from my investment or even the cars documents, but Williams refused to pick any of my calls or reply my any of my text, I later got an emailed from Mr. Williams saying the total cars bought valued, US$ 47,800 and that was it. I never received a dime in regards to my initial investment of US$ 37,710 or 60% of my profit as was agreed upon," he said
In FPA possession are checks from Zelee to Williams during their business transactions. The first check of US$ 12,360 12,000 from WELLS FARGIO bank, was issued on 01/21/2016, while another of US$ 2,000 dated 01/22/2016 was also issued, and US$ 12,000 dated 01/27/2016, another check of US$ 3,300 dated 01/28/2016, while the last of US$ 8,050 was issued 02/03/2016, amounting to US $ 37,710.
According to some US documents from Metro Auto Sales & Trans LLC dealership, now in FPA possession, indicates that the purchase price of some Vehicles included; Nissan Morana, Chevy Cruze, Nissan Quest, Toyota Camry, Honda, BMW among other cars, amounted to US$ $ 32,420 while sales price amounted to US$ 47,800 while the net cash on hand was US$13,855 from the sales, and Expenses spent for repairs of vehicles amounted 4,900.
FPA is also in possession of some exchanged texts between Williams and Zelee, which shows Williams admitting to owing Zelee's money and begging Zelee for time to pay him back. Here is one short text below:
"Big Brother, I will work very hard to pay your money. I am very sorry for putting you through this, you are a very good person and don't deserve it. Please help me grow," the text read.
When FPA reached out to Williams via his mobile regarding the allegations, it was switched off, but later a message was left on his social media page, requesting for an interview, but he never responded up to Press Time. However, according to Social Media Activist, Will Debo live video, Williams told him, he did not credit any money from Zelee, but rather Zelee put his money in a car dealership business which did not go well. And how he even took some cars to sell in Liberia, but he did not make any money from them. Debo further said in his live, that few Liberians in the US, reached out to inform him, that Williams also duped them of their monies.
To further prove his case, Zelee disclosed that one Mr. Riwa Nsangalofo, the owner of Icon Motors DBA Newport Imports, with Phone number ( 612 ) 478-2778, is one of his witnesses and added that he is acknowledging Mr. Nsangalofo because he was the fellow that the car dealership subleased a lot from, in order to apply for the dealership license. And from the time the lease was given out till now, Williams only paid the man US$ 1,400.00 for the rent. And the check making up the balance payment bounced. Therefore, the landlord terminated the lease and the dealership was kick out.
"If you check on my Facebook page the total number of cars Erasmus Williams purchased in early January and February 2017 and the profit from my $ 37, 710 initial investments. I have not received any return on my initial principle and my 60% profit from my $ 37,710 investment, now Williams is telling me that I went into a business venture and lost all of my money. How did I lost all of my initial US$ 37,710 which is yet to be established? He took my principle of $ 37,710 invested for himself and also took the profit made."
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He said to his surprise, he discovered in early February of 2017, that Williams had put a total of 51 representatives under the dealership license without his consent or knowledge, neither had he met any of the people. But also found out that Williams was charging an initial registration fees of US$ 500.00 and a fee of US$ 150.00 charged for every car purchased under the dealership license. Since the registration of the dealership, up till now, Williams and his representatives on the dealership license bought the total of 57 cars for a total purchase price of US $ 148.000," He said
Based on his discovery, Zelee finally decided to closed the dealership down after he realized Williams and his 51 representative were buying cars under his name and License without his consent or knowledge. At the same time, William ran down the account to negative US$ 550.00, for which he paid off the US$ 550.00, requested by the bank and closed the account to protect himself.
When asked why is he speaking out now and not before, he responded:
"I am bringing my interaction story to the Liberian people, because Mr. Erasmus Williams is a crook and a criminal and he is now in Liberia. He has hurt so many hard working and honest Liberians in Minnesota. He has left a trail of victims in Minnesota, now he is in Liberia seeking refuge and probably he will be getting a position within the current government," He concluded
