A pyramid scheme that infected hundreds of people in southern Peru. Photo: LR Composite/Jasmin Seras/Lyubomir Fernandez
César Antonio Flores Copa It is natural Abundant Also, at the age of 50 in 2023, he ended up being the protagonist of one of the largest cases of pyramid fraud, harming hundreds of people in Puno and southern Peru with more than 80 million soles.
While working as a reporter and cameraman for the 'Puno 13Vision' channel in the 90s, he planned his career. He was a fan of journalism without any kind of education. Its director was Jorge Aramaio Cordero, who was charged with extortion and intimidation. The owner's daughter, former Fujimori congresswoman Alejandra Aramaio Kawona, worked at the same channel.
Another of those who joined the same channel was Enrique Calmette Choque, who occasionally acted as a publicist and, after becoming a lawyer, was behind some of the worst real estate issues in Puno.
One of his colleagues recalled that Cesar Flores always used to say that his destiny was to dedicate himself to a career that would allow him to live a different life than he had as a child. Family economic instability and strict rules of single motherhood. Years later, he fulfilled his dream, but in a less honest way.
No one who knew him recognized that his performance in the media he said was outstanding. On the contrary, all warn that they have a profile that raises doubts, although others assure that it is good.
Those who served in the province Abundant They pointed out that after he left the channel, Cesar Flores collaborated with former President José Mengoa Salcedo, who was in office between July 1, 2004 and June 8, 2005. Servants What was between them.
César Flores and his first steps in building his pyramid network
After that, nothing was heard from him until he appeared as a sales promoter for Herbalife with his wife, Hilda Violetta Berga Perez. It was his brother Yuri Samuel Flores Coba who put him into business.
Determined to make money anyway, he employed young men. Not only did he convince them that Herbalife was good for their health, he He seduced them into thinking that if they joined the organization they would “win financially” and “have the life they wanted.” All those who made purchases from a certain amount and attracted more customers and made new purchases received a percentage.
His network of collaborators consisted of active police officers and civilians whom he met at different times. To pacify them, he introduced motivational speeches. Salespeople are given the idea that success is in their own hands and that if they don't take risks, they will never achieve their dreams. The idea is to widen the network of buyers and consumers. His wife was behind and knew everything. Thus, the couple pretended to live a healthy and happy life based on the products they provided.
Pro & Pro was born: How they convinced customers
In 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic curbed social mobilization and Cesar Flores, together with his wife Violetta Perga, had no better idea than to create the company Inversiones Inmobiliarias Pro & Pro in June of that year. The system operated as LA. Republica learned with the best “Herbalife” sellers, but with this new program they started as “Bullers”.
The new business consisted of collecting money in return for monthly interest of 10%, 13% and 15% on the total amount invested, and after 12 months, the client was given 100% return on capital. For example, if someone who invested S/10,000 earned a monthly profit of S/1,500. One year he earned S/18,000. When the client came to claim his capital, they convinced him to reinvest his funds and all that he had apparently earned. All these looked like good investments to grow money.
According to economist George Torres, profit is an illusion because the same money they deposited is withdrawn because no business allows such a profit. He explained that it is a lure or “hook” to attract more deposits or capital inflows. In fact, there are people who have invested more than a million soles. Many sold their homes, deposited their life savings and took out loans. After earning more than S/80 million, César Flores Copa fled to Mexico in May 2022. The victims are more than 5,000 from Puno, Arequipa and other areas in the south of the country.
César Flores and his operators
Earlier, in October 2021, it sold its legal name to Pro & Pro Accountant, Macario Aguirre Tapia (now deceased). wife of the deceased, Idelma Liliana Rodriguez Molina, He kept the victims at bay by promising to pay as long as they did not go public with the case or speak to the press. Never came back. In this way, he played to the interests of Flores Copa so that his organization could launder money through front men and remittances abroad. There are audios to prove this.
César Flores does not act alone. He was an administrator Alfredo Laos Ayestas. He signed almost all the contracts and the money received, once bundled in bags, ended up in the hands of the head of the organization, but the list of operators is long. At least 30 people are being investigated, including by the prosecutor's office against organized crime Carlos Enrique Quilca Inquilla, who changed his paternal surname to “Urgiso”; Adger Ronald Patricio Aguilar, Active Police Force, among others.
In addition, Pro & Pro had a network of police dragsters in its structure, among which he stood out Carrie Jonathan Pachi Mani. Recruiters were paid a percentage of 5% of all clients they trusted to deposit their money. Many invested their own relatives. That does not absolve them of responsibility. They knew it was a fraudulent system. Many have made huge profits.
Gary Bassey looked into the business, broke away from Cesar Flores, and later opened his own pyramid network called “Gary Inversions.” In addition to the construction and real estate company K'leg SA He swindled more than S/70 million from more than 5,000 people in the south of the country and fled Puno after resigning from the national police. Victims made public pleas and counsel appeared Enrique Calmette Soc.
In this regard, Calumet studied the case long ago, as did Gary Bassi, his former colleague from the 'Puno 13 Vision' company to offer proposals that were often agreed upon. Everyone knew each other or had some sort of friendship or common interest.
Flores Coba and his wife formed Pro & Pro in the same year, and in September 2020, formed C-40 Club. The logic was the same. They gave a percentage to those who became members of this organization. They introduced these new elements with monthly courses for entrepreneurs, talks, gymnastic exercises and at the same time, they promoted the consumption of Manantial Huacullani.
The pullers were almost identical, with the exception of INPE workers. Earlier, everyone was motivated to achieve “success”. In parallel, they encouraged them to invest in Pro & Pro.
César Flores and his dream life in Mexico
After fleeing to Mexico, Cesar Flores was finally able to earn the money he had always dreamed of. Now, he lives in the Aztec country with his wife Hilda Violeta Perca Perez and his brother Yuri Samuel Flores Coba.
Other members of the organization made their own fortunes. They bought cars, others did business and bought houses through their relatives.
Now, despite the passage of time, the victims are demanding the international arrest of all those involved in the pyramid network.
Prosecutor Rogelio Valdivia says it's possible to catch them all, as happened with ticket fraudster Pamela Cabanilas and Wanda del Valle Bermudez, an accomplice of 'Maltido Gris'.
Ironically, the Organized Crime Prosecutor's Office discovered that relatives of judges, prosecutors and senior police officers were contributors to César Flores' scheme. This is a very high-level corruption network built by a cameraman who dreamed of becoming a millionaire.
