Rufa Mae Quinto in NBI custody amid arrest warrant over SEC complaint

Rufa Mae Quinto has turned herself in to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) following an arrest warrant issued by a Pasay court over her alleged involvement in an investment scam linked to a skin care company flagged by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

The comedian was detained at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 earlier today, Wednesday, Jan. 8, following her arrival from Los Angeles, California in the United States where she had stayed with her estranged husband, Trevoe Magallanes, and their daughter. At the airport, she was received by operatives of the NBI-International Airport Investigation Division (IAID).

According to the NBI, Quinto was escorted first to the Bureau of Immigration, which then subsequently turned her over to the NBI-IAID by virtue of an alert list order related to her warrants of arrest. The actress was read her Miranda rights and placed under arrest. She also underwent booking procedures.

Meanwhile, according to a report in “Balitanghali,” Quinto’s lawyer coordinated her voluntary surrender with the NBI and underwent a medico-legal examination before being brought to a Pasay court.

Quinto is facing 14 counts of violation of Section 8 of the Securities Regulation Code, which states that an individual is “prohibited from engaging as a broker, salesman, or any associated person of any dealer when it comes to buying or selling securities unless it’s registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).”

Th actress previously claimed that she’s also a “victim” of the situation, as her lawyer clarified that the actress is not facing a large-scale estafa complaint as she was merely an endorser and did not engage in any solicitation investments.

Quinto’s arrest came months after actress-businesswoman Neri Naig was detained for the same charges for endorsing the same company, Dermacare.