Former Jobless Man Testifies That Training Agency Scammed Him

By LAURIE CHERENFANT & CHRIS BUTERA

A former client of an allegedly fraudulent job-placement agency testified in a Manhattan courtroom on Tuesday, describing how he had been tricked into taking expensive courses and being left jobless.

In his testimony, Washington Heights resident Richard Minino, 30, called Allianz Security Protection in July 2012 because he was looking for a job. Upon hearing that jobs were available he went to Allianz to find out more information. When he got there he was then told he was required to take courses before being placed in a job as a security officer.

“The person on the phone said they had jobs. I wasn’t going to take some courses.” Minino said.

Minino was told if he took two classes he would find a job that paid eight to 10 dollars an hour, as opposed to taking all the classes where he would pay $1,336 but be guaranteed a job that paid $26 to $32 an hour.

The testimony took place in the fraud trial of Stephen Baptiste, Rosemond Bottex and Jerry Owens, leaders of the company.

“I was told all I needed were the requirements and he has all the jobs waiting for me,” Minino testified. “I was promised a security job at Google or Yahoo.” (Among other places he couldn’t recall).

Minino took classes in metal detection, CPR, fire safety, and anti-terrorism. Then he was told to go to placement and to “dress to impress.” Minino was sent to six job interviews where no job or interview was available. The applicant left his resumes and never heard anything, he added on the witness stand.

When Minino spoke to Rosemond Bottex under the alias “Mr. Cook,” Bottex assured him that there must have been a mistake and that Minino would get hired.

Minino identified Bottex who used the alias “Mr. Cook”, is the man that helped to set up the specific courses and who gave Minino the paperwork to sign.

Minino asked for an 85 percent refund, but “Mr. Cook” said to come back at a laterbecause he “didn’t have the forms with him.”

Minino did find a job on his own about three weeks after completing courses with Sara Security – a legitimate agency in the Bronx. He was paid eight dollars an hour and worked for five and a half months. Minino was unhappy with his salary and went back to Allianz because he still wanted the 26 to 33 hourly dollars he thought he was promised.

“Where’s the job that they promised me?” said Minino. “I paid the money to get the job that pays 26 to 33.”

The enrollment agreement said that “Allianz Security Protection can only guarantee job placement assistance services, obtaining the actual job is the client’s responsibility,” but their Craigslist ads told a different story, guaranteeing employment.

Minino admitted that he signed the agreement without ever reading it.