Imagine handing over sixteen thousand dollars for land you thought was yours, only to find out it never was. That’s the reality for a San Pedro businesswoman who says she and her husband were scammed in what’s now being investigated as a land fraud scheme. The couple says they trusted Valeriano Vasquez, who claimed to be selling two parcels of land north of San Pedro. But after wiring the money, the land never changed hands—and worse, it turns out it was already owned by someone else. Now, with no refund in sight, police are stepping in. ASP Stacy Smith has the details.
ASP Stacy Smith, Staff Officer
“On Friday twentieth June, Dolores Teul, a business owner of San Pedrito area of the San Pedro town reported to police that on thirtieth December, 2023, Valeriano Vasquez, also known as Jimbo, offered to sell her two parcels of land located in North San Pedro between thirtieth. December, 2023 entered January, 2024, Teul reported that she paid over a total of sixteen thousand dollars, which was the price quoted for the parcels off lands, and she was issued a receipt. Teul also stated that on ninth May, she made checks at the Lands Department, Belmopan, where she learned at both parcels of land, which were the subject of the transaction, were registered to different individuals. Teul far stated that her efforts to recover the sums paid over to Mr. Vasquez has proven fruitless. As a consequence of this report, police are presently seeking Valeriano Pedro Vasquez, a Belizean justice of the peace of the Eli subdivision of San Pedro twon for the crime of obtaining property by deception.”
