Italian lawyer hired for 100 Filipinos ‘duped’ by recruiters

MANILA, Philippines — Criminal cases will soon be filed against those involved in the alleged fraud and illegal recruitment of Filipinos who paid exorbitant placement and consultancy fees in exchange for what turned out to be nonexistent jobs in Italy, according to the Philippine Consulate General in Milan.

The consulate, in a statement, said cases of aggravated fraud against Alpha Assistenza SRL would be filed by Italian lawyer Bruno de Blasi, who was hired by the Philippine government to represent some 100 complainants based in Italy.

“The complainants represent a total of 269 Filipinos in the Philippines who were said to have been made to pay at least 3,000 euros (about P180,000) each for jobs in Italy under the decreto flussi program that later turned out to be nonexistent,” the consulate said.

According to ItaliaHello, a nonprofit organization that helps migrants and refugees, decreto flussi is an Italian government law that sets quotas on how many non-European citizens may enter Italy for work.

The consulate said De Blasi met with complainants shortly after he and Consul General Elmer Cato signed the contract that would allow him to represent them before Italian courts.

Source: Italian lawyer hired for 100 Filipinos ‘duped’ by recruiters | Global News (inquirer.net)