By: Audrey Raymonda John
An Argentine mining investor, Jose Ignacio Castelluchio, has reportedly fallen victim to an alleged scam, losing $300,000 to Ishmael EL Abbouti and Mary Korsia, who convinced him to buy shares in a company called Morokia Minerals Limited.
According to sources close to Castelluchio, he met Ishmael EL Abbouti, a Moroccan national, in 2022 at a hotel in Lungi upon his arrival in Sierra Leone. During their conversation, Castelluchio disclosed his intentions for being in the country, which led to Abbouti allegedly informing him that he was also involved in the mining business. Abbouti, along with Korsia and his lawyer, Mr. Campbell, allegedly convinced Castelluchio to invest in purchasing 50% of the shares of Morokia Minerals Limited.
After signing an agreement, Castelluchio invested $300,000, with an additional $100,000 spent on equipment maintenance, totaling $400,000. However, he later discovered that the company did not exist, raising suspicions that it was a fraudulent enterprise.
Sources claim that Castelluchio attempted to retrieve his money from Abbouti and Korsia, but his efforts were unsuccessful. Korsia is also accused of blocking Castelluchio from recovering his mining equipment, allegedly using a man named Abu Bakarr to intimidate him with thugs.
When contacted via WhatsApp, Mary Korsia denied the allegations, stating that Castelluchio had not paid the $300,000 for the shares in question. She claimed that there was a written agreement for Castelluchio to purchase her 30% share of the company, but he had failed to make the payment. Regarding claims that the company was a scam, Korsia stated that the company is registered and legitimate. She also denied preventing Castelluchio from retrieving his mining equipment, explaining that the equipment was co-owned and not solely his.
Efforts to reach Ishmael EL Abbouti for comment were unsuccessful.
