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Saturday, November 19, 2022

Repost: 'Like a Giant Ponzi Scheme,' Victor Consunji Speaks on Lana Faith Johnson's Case

Image courtesy of Instagram: lanafaithjohnson

Manila’s social media is currently abuzz with the latest scandal to rock its granite core. Lana Faith Johnson, whose photos were often seen in newspapers and glossy magazines as a guest of A-lister sorties, came out in photos of a different sort: Mugshots from her arrest last November 8 on allegations of falsification of documents and swindling are now circulating in chat groups. 

At the center of this social media maelstrom is property developer Victor Consunji of Victor Consunji Development Corporation (VCDC). It was his company that Johnson allegedly misrepresented to suppliers and to the media. 

Johnson, who reportedly promotes herself as a public relations (PR) executive and woman entrepreneur, first approached Consunji to present her PR services years ago with a company called WJG Asia. 

“From there, she was just kind of in the wings, doing whatever PR was necessary at the time. For many years, it was minimal stuff like the occasional article. She would also bring over ‘her friends’ to show them around the project and try to sell a unit in the hopes of getting a commission,” Consunji said. 

Some of those people with her were Consunji’s friends, so it became generally accepted that she seems to be doing her job as PR. 

Consunji added it was around late last year that Johnson was given more significant PR responsibilities for the company. 

“With more responsibilities came access to bigger budgets. She was helping with the launch of one of our new projects. She mismanaged and miscalculated and here we are,” he said.

Snowball effect
Consunji said the catalyst of the situation was when he heard of a friend who advanced P200,000 to Johnson and was allegedly never paid back. Then, people in his circle allegedly started asking each other if Johnson also owes them money. 

One of the people who claimed she also was not paid was a supplier who was supposedly commissioned to do the interiors of a VCDC project that consisted of a clubhouse and four very large model units, along with other parts of the property. 

“The supplier and I have known each other for a good part of 20 years, but the project underwent the normal process of a corporate set-up, where the project passes through an agency that coordinates with all the downline suppliers. In this specific case, Lana was in the agency position and she was one of the downline suppliers,” Consunji explained. “It was alarming because she was issued unfunded checks by Lana in relation to the VCDC project. These budgets have been dispensed earlier this year. It’s literally been done, dusted, closed for a while.” 

Consunji said the revelation triggered a comprehensive internal investigation. 

“It started with us calling our suppliers directly and the publications we work with. The stories started coming out, of things they were told or promised. It feels like a giant Ponzi scheme – she would get money that was earmarked for a project to pay off some supplier she owes and get money from a different client to pay off that person,” he claimed.

Another revelation, he added, was that Johnson’s entire persona was purportedly completely fake. Consunji claimed that the company Johnson presented had closed down and was allegedly issuing fake receipts.

Consunji called it a massive case of swindling, falsification of documents, and stealing money.

“It is insane – but what is more insane was how she managed to keep this up for a long time especially as the people involved were relatively close to each other. What she would do is intentionally drive them away so that they would not talk to each other about these matters. She would make up some fake excuses, like ‘Victor is stressed’ or ‘so-and-so is having marital problems’. She would also talk about other suppliers and say things like they didn’t do a good job on their last project. These ridiculous excuses eventually just imploded,” he claimed.

Good riddance
Consunji believed that Johnson’s arrest last November 8 – which stemmed from a qualified theft complaint filed against her by VCDC last November 4 before the Taguig City Prosecutor’s Office, and her supposed current situation as a social pariah is well deserved. 

“There are a lot of things I can tolerate. I am supportive of small businesses, and people who work with me can commit mistakes and almost everything is forgivable. One thing that is absolutely not forgivable in any amount, in any capacity is maliciousness. When it was validated that her actions were malicious, intentionally skimming money from suppliers and not paying them and then trying to spew lies about herself and the people she works with, there was no other recourse but to take action,” he said.

He then noted that the case is being handled by VCDC, and his involvement at this point is as a friend to those who were allegedly swindled. 

“For me, it is essentially good riddance. You gave the person a chance with additional responsibilities, and instead of taking care of that, she basically squandered the opportunity and decided to burn bridges all at the same time. In the name of my company and the others that she screwed over, good riddance,” he added. 

“I know that this has been amplified through the megaphone of social media, but for us, it is run-of-the-mill processing of a dishonest supplier. It happens in corporate all the time. For me, it is generally a corporate matter and when we take action, we don’t like going halfway. If we are going to correct the error she caused, then we are going to correct [it] for good. What I have to add is that although it is a corporate matter, on a personal note, many of the people she scammed are my friends and that part for me is incredibly personal,” Consunji further said. 

Consunji said that aside from the qualified theft complaint that VCDC filed last November 4, his lawyers are also preparing 64 more qualified theft complaints against Johnson. Reports likewise claimed that Johnson is facing criminal cases of falsification of documents and swindling.

Johnson was reportedly collared by authorities in an entrapment operation. She is reportedly currently out on bail.

INQUIRER.net has been trying to reach out to Johnson to get her side of the story but has yet to receive a reply as of this posting.

75 comments:

  1. Ayan tuloy di nakinig sa asawa. Nanakawan tuloy. Masyado siya nagtitiwala sa mga nakapaligid sa kanya.

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    1. walang kinalaman yun sa kaso na to. who knows what maggie told him? she said she had a bad feeling but did she know to what extent?

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    2. Magbasa ka 10:31, nakasulat na nga jan.. ang style ni baba eh pinag aaway away yung mga tao sa paligid niya.. so malamang gumatong gatong yan sa marital issue nila..

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    3. 10:31 ayun n nga. May suspicious n ang wife. It is on the hands of the husband to clear it since sya rin nman ang business owner or one of it.

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    4. 10:31 Maggie also works as the interior designer of their projects so may right talaga sya kumuda and she is also the wife.

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  2. Ilan year snaba si lana sa VCDC 5 - 10 years? Tapos sa kanya pa pinapahawak ni V ang malalaki account at mas malaki pa tiwala ky lana kesa sa asawa. Meron problema ky V as a boss/leader na hindi pwede ipagkatiwala ang D. C. CEO na madali maloko pimasok pa sa blockchain lalo na naloko 😂

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    Replies
    1. mas malaki ang tiwala? LOL feeling madaming alam haha

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  3. Grabeee lakas ng loob ni babaLANA

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  4. Kawawa naman yung mga di nabayaran dahil sa babae na yan! Takot siguro din sila magreklamo! Kasi powerful sila e

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  5. This happens when you have poor internal control.

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  6. Well, that’s life. Ayan ang napapala kapag mas naniniwala pa sa ibang tao kesa sa asawa. 😂

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    Replies
    1. Sa palagay mo kapani-paniwala asawa niya hahaha the mere fact na naghiwalay sila ibig sabihin noon walang dapat pagkatiwalaan sa asawa niya

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    2. Ang tiwala ay di laging issue sa mag-asawa. Kalimitan, nanananawa sa isa't isa o talagang kahit anong pilit hindi magkatugma ang mga hangarin sa buhay. Kaya wag kang parang dios kung magsabi na walang katiwa tiwala sa asawa nya. D natin alam ang dahilan.

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    3. 1205 not necessarily true. pwedeng nagbreak sila kasi mas naniwala siya sa iba kesa sa jowa

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    4. When it comes to business, mukha namang mas kapanipaniwala tlga itong si Lana dahil may alam sha compared to Maggie noh. So understandable that Lana's statements may hold more water kay V vs Maggie's.

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    5. Being a beauty Queen doesn’t equate to being dumb. For sure M had an inkling na she’s not trustworthy. It’s easier to see if someone is being conned than the victim himself.

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  7. Kawawa yun mga na scam, yun mga unpaid clients and suppliers. Di ako awa kay V. Im calling it karma for him.

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    Replies
    1. Parang lumalabas lang na hindi sya ganun kafocus sa kompanya nya para malusutan sila ng ganyan hindi nya chinecheck ang mga transactions

      Delete
  8. Karma is digital talaga

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  9. This is what happens when you don't draw the line between your business and personal life. Malamang nagamit pa si VC as parang guarantor, pinagkatiwalaan dahil anglakas ng kapit sa kanya.

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    Replies
    1. Maybe this can be a warning to people na whoever VC works with or endorses indirectly can be kaduda-duda. Best guarantor of the year goes to..

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    2. Paniwalain kasi sya. Yung photos pa lang nung nag beach sila with R's and L's friends dami nang nakapansin dito na hindi nya kalevel yung mga kasama nya based sa looks at pananamit pa lang nila ha. He should really be careful sa mga taong sinasamahan nya, madami ang opportunista sa panahon ngayon.

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  10. Aba twinning pa yung dalawa sa pic hehe. Now, who will trust VC's judgment? Wala palang business acumen. Tagal naloko.

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  11. Hala paano na yung mga nakuhanan ng pera, ano yun wala na talaga ndi na mahahabol? Per Victor sarado na daw ang company ni lana, kawawa naman ang mga biktima panahon pa naman din ng inflation.

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  12. bakit hinayaan ni Victor na dumaan ang payments kay Lana na PR person lang? hello.... marunong ba siya talagang mag-manage ng kumpanya? jusko nakakahiya for a Consunji.

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    Replies
    1. 11:08 PM - did you read the article? the article answered your question "bakit hinayaan ni Victor na dumaan ang payments kay Lana na PR person lang?" even before you asked. in fact, if you read and comprehend what you read - you wouldn't be asking this question.

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  13. downplaying it as a dishonest supplier chuchu all in a days work in conducting business chuchu

    pero obv its because VC doesn’t know how to run a business. Poor internal controls? San ka nakakita ng head of PR & mktg tasked to receive and disburse funds? lol future DMCI ceo? Goodluck

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    1. He picked the wrong woman to marry who aired all his dirty laundry in public and he is also not a very smart businessman. His father and grandfather must be disappointed.

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    2. Thank goodness M aired his dirty laundry for all to know. V definitely would not have aired his dirty laundry himself. Lol...

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    3. People are laughing behind his back for sure!

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    4. governance issue to the nth level

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    5. Architect sya but wala not expertise on running their business, panay travel lang sya e

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    6. Mapalagpas pa sana marrying the wrong woman eh, sabihin nlng na in love and all that. Okay. With what happened may issue tlga siya with choosing the right people in his life — business or personal.

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    7. Agree. How can a PR and Mktg staff pay suppliers and receive funds. V was sleeping and all the key VCDC staff were also sleeping. Lol....

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    8. 8:15 Victor is an engineer. But it seems like he is CEO in name only while the PR girl runs the company for him while he gallivants all over the world and does his marathons. Masyadong trusting sa employees at hindi talaga hands-on mamalakad sa negosyo

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  14. Sadly you allegedly trusted this woman more than your own wife?

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  15. Victor, this does not "happen in corporate all the time". This happens when the boss is incompetent. Just like you.

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    Replies
    1. True! Theres an audit and compliance dept for every organization, main task is to handle internal controls and avoid for these things to happen! Its always Bad business mixing personal relationship and business relationship, u were manipulated victor. An owner bitten in the hands by his own dog. Take this as a hard lesson.. well a lesson worth millions. Im sure you will recover ur millions but the feeling of betrayal and losing your family is devastating.

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    2. He tried to downplay it. Goes to show how he is as a person.

      Now parang mejo naimagine ko na kung pano siya kay Maggie. Ni under estimate ang asawa. Mas naniwala sa akala niya ka circle niya.

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    3. Agree. Di ata natututukan ang sariling business. As a CEO he should also be liable for hiring her and of course there are gaps in their process if L is the one getting payments and issuing receipts. Her role is PR right?

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    4. I wonder ano kaya ang masasabi ng family/relatives niya regarding this scandal. Biglang bumalik sa kanya ang karma eh. Exciting ang upcoming family reunion.

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  16. mga sis, subcon ba sinasabi niya setup nila ni Lana? i dont get corporate setup? How does it work?

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    Replies
    1. Yep, looks like subcon. Maybe that's what was referring to when he said they do it all the time. Sometimes, small projects can be handled by subcon through bidding but sometimes, these are delegated internally esp if the firm is big. What I don't get is why was this given to the PR person. I knew of M doing interior design work for projects, maybe subcon too but she was the wife. Just goes to show how deeply the PR person has penetrated inside the company to be entrusted with such role. I would give that to her. PR nga.

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  17. i wonder if lana will talk or may special deal?
    Dismissed daw 3 cases. Dismissed in exchange for her to keep quiet?

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    Replies
    1. Dismissed for lack of evidence daw, sis.Pero there are 65 more pa. I think it's the same strategy they employed w/MW. They are just exhausting the girl's financial capacity to pay legal fees para sumuko, ganun :/

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  18. Women's instinct is always right. Right maggie?

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  19. Na kay Maggie ang huling halakhak, Mr. Incompetent future CEO.

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  20. Victor clearly doesn't have a talent for business. He just happen to be born as Consunji. You should study instead of going to gym and building muscles.

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    Replies
    1. Lol. It happens to the best of us baks. For someone who manages a big company with thousands of employees, it's impossible to know all the ins and outs. That's why leaders delegate and hire experts. And they trust those they hire to do their jobs. Di naman naka abang ang mga ceo's 24 hrs- they also have their personal lived to manage...

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    2. This! Dami pera pn enroll sa mga business schools and surround himself with legit business people who he can learn from

      Apply the “you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with”

      Delete
  21. This is a lesson learned for Victir but grabe yung iba. Di kayo tao? Di nagkakamali? Makaincompetent? Super galing niyo lahat? Haha eh if ganun kayo na lang magmanage ng business niya at ng Consunji dami magaling pala dito

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  22. Never ever trust anyone with your money and your business!

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  23. Tsk tsk poor Consunji.

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  24. Why was the PR and Mktg staff allowed to make payments to suppliers and receiving funds? Lol....

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  25. for many years it was minimal job lng daw sa company, but late last year was given more significant role.. ahahah what a coincidence

    very incompetent business man indeed!

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  26. Lumalabas na true colours

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  27. So it happens to Vic all the time? ahahaha!!!

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  28. Sana ngayon marerealize na ni Victor na malaki ang nawala niya including his marriage nasira pa dahil lang nagtiwala sya sa mga maling tao. Sana matauhan kana Victor.

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  29. Accept the fact that every one of us may be fooled or swindled by anybody for once in our lifetime. Even smart persons or intelligent ones or even the best businessmen may be victims at one point in their life.

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    Replies
    1. True. But this case kc may something sa guy n tlga mapapa klap ka nlng na this happened to him of all people

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    2. If the company has good work process flow this wouldn’t happen. Like seriously a PR person is in charge of money matters 😅

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  30. Wow! Andami pa lang entrepreneurs dito sa FP. Ang gagaling magbigay ng views and opinions about business kay Victor considering na successful and established na siya sa industry. Anong narating niyo to give you the right to lambast and underestimate his capabilities and accomplishments?

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    1. Lol Victor is not established, his pet project VCDC is not even that well known. DMCI, on the other hand, is an established company, thanks to his grandfather.

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    2. wala nmn cyst, kaya nga andito sa fp db? lol

      seriously cyst tanong ko dn yn sa self ko, what mapapala ko here? maybe im just practising my analyzing skills? lol

      kaw cyst, what mapapala mo defending him? lol

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    3. We may not be kasing yaman ni VC but some has masters degree naman at maayos na work. Maka question ka naman ng capabilities eh marites ka rin naman.

      Eh sa totoo naman na obvious yung lack of internal audit and control kasi bakit hinahayaan mo na si ate girl lahat mag deal sa suppliers even the disbursements. Kung may proper audit ka ma fflag agad yung mga questionable transactions.

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    4. Oh please. One doesn't need to be an entrepreneur to know that handling finances is not a part of a PR Executive's responsibility. He is incompetent. Let's not delude ourselves.

      Also, accomplishments? He was albe to have them only because he's a Consunji.

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    5. 1:26 the grandfather of Victor was the one who founded the company that we all know and he had 8 children. If I’m correct out of the 8, 6 manages all their businesses. So in short not because he is the scion of a self made billionaire, means that he’s also like his grandfather.

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    6. 1:26 it’s not views about business and you don’t need to be an entrepreneur to figure that out - it’s just simple procurement process and controls he or his teams should have put in place to avoid scams like this happening. The fact that she was able to do it so long without being detected speaks volumes about his leadership and his team.

      Delete
  31. The first generation will build the business. The second generation will grow the business. The third generation will destroy the business.

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  32. Naku balikan na Sana nya si Maggie. Magusap sila Para maayos na yun family nila. Mag sorry sya at suyuin na nya misis nya.

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    Replies
    1. That is if possible pa

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    2. They are both toxic in their own way.

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