Photo: Christopher D Angelo Alvarado Marchena
by Kristen Ku
BELIZE CITY, Tues. Feb. 27, 2024
After two weeks on the run, a scammer who left two Belizean resorts with unpaid bills amounting to over BZ$127,000, was apprehended by police in San Pedro on Monday, February 26. The individual, who used different aliases, is now facing charges for obtaining property by deception, after he had allegedly perpetrated a scam to enjoy the high-end accommodations of two resorts, one in Placencia and the other in San Pedro, without payment.
The saga began on February 5, when an individual who identified himself as Nicolas Paula, a 40-year-old American citizen, checked into the Itz’ana Resort located in Placencia, planning to stay until February 8. To secure his reservation, Paula presented what appeared to be confirmation of an online wire transfer totaling $10,469.95 USD. However, upon verification efforts, the resort’s management discovered that the transaction was false.
Despite this initial red flag, Paula managed to extend his stay until February 14, under the guise of an upcoming wire transfer to cover the additional expenses. He even went as far as showing resort staff falsified screenshots indicating a transfer of $10,000.00 USD.
His scam came to light one day before his scheduled departure, on February 13, when resort staff found his room empty, the guest having vanished without a trace and leaving behind an unsettled bill of $13,525.55 USD (approximately $27,051.10 BZD), the total for his eight-night stay.
The resort’s Financial Controller immediately lodged a formal complaint detailing Paula’s scam. In response, police initiated an investigation, securing Paula’s identification documents and alerting the Ministry of Immigration.
Both Belize Immigration and the U.S. Embassy were notified, given Paula’s claimed American citizenship.
Their investigation soon revealed that the name “Nicolas Paula” was a fake, that the con man’s real identity was Christopher D Angelo Alvarado Marchena, and that he was a Costa Rican national. Documents obtained during the investigation had linked him to this alternate identity.
The Itz’ana Resort, in response to the ordeal, issued a heartfelt statement, expressing gratitude for the community’s support, stating, “We take this moment to reflect on the lesson learned, and to underscore our unwavering commitment to you, our local community. We acknowledge the challenges that come with international transactions, and the slim margins for error they present. Yet, we remain dedicated to excellence and to serving you with utmost care and professionalism.”
Incredibly, the brazen Paula, or Marchena wasn’t done scamming, and his next escapade was at the Villa Abrazos Resort, in San Pedro, where he posed this time as Edwin Avendano with a Colombian passport.
On Friday, February 23, he secured 9-day luxury accommodations for himself and his supposed entourage, running up charges totaling USD $50,104.46. As he did in Placencia, he attempted to deceive the staff with false bank transaction screenshots and promised wire transfers to cover his expenses.
The scammers run of free rooms and food, the best Belize could offer, came to an end on Monday, February 26, when San Pedro Police apprehended the suspect, discovering him to be in possession of $800 in counterfeit US currency and some cocaine.
Police are yet to release an official report regarding the matter.