Dubai Visa Scam Leaves 400 OFWs Out of Pocket as Suspects Flee

Two alleged scammers have fled the UAE after collecting AED 3.6 million from around 400 OFWs through fraudulent freelance visa packages, with the Philippine Consulate in Dubai investigating and Interpol involvement possible. Victims, many of them domestic workers, paid AED 9,000 each and now face financial and legal woes.

Two alleged scammers have reportedly fled the United Arab Emirates after pocketing AED 3.6 million (P61.7 million) from around 400 overseas Filipino workers, in what could be the UAE's largest visa fraud case in recent years, according to a Rappler report published on 18 October 2026.

The alleged suspects — Junie Sorsano, a prominent Dubai-based content creator for over a decade, and Ryan Ronel Baco — left the UAE during the first week of September and are now reportedly hiding in the Philippines. Sorsano served as CEO and founder of Trip Expert Business and Marketing Solutions, which opened on 15 May 2025, while Baco operated as managing director. An undetermined number of victims still in the Philippines have also organized to seek help from authorities.

The firm offered what it described as "legitimate and legal" freelance visa packages priced at AED 9,000 (P154,500) per applicant. The packages bypassed standard Philippine government safeguards, including contract verification by the Migrant Workers Office and the Overseas Employment Certificate, as well as the UAE-prescribed electronic salary transfer system.

Prior to fleeing, Sorsano and Baco issued a joint public apology in September. "We ask for your patience and kind consideration while we work through this challenging period," the statement read. Victims reported that the two have been completely unreachable since, and Trip Expert's primary corporate office in Deira, Dubai, has been closed due to an alleged failure to pay rent.

Victims noted that a major factor drawing them to the company was the involvement of two popular vloggers, Abdul Hamid Bandon and Enrico Cardoniga, who regularly appeared in advertisements promoting the freelance visa package. Both have strongly denied involvement in the fraudulent scheme. Cardoniga, acting on legal advice, declined to go on record but disclosed that two major brands have already suspended their partnerships with him, while Bandon said he is waiting for the situation to "cool down" before speaking extensively.

Ambrosio Brian Enciso III, Consul General at the Philippine Consulate General in Dubai and the Northern Emirates, confirmed that authorities are actively investigating the scheme. "The Migrant Workers Office (MWO) Dubai, through its retained legal counsel, is providing appropriate support to individuals who have sought assistance," Enciso said, adding that victims are receiving legal consultations and guidance on documentary requirements needed by UAE authorities.

PCG lawyer Eisa Khalife noted he is compiling evidence to formalize a case and may escalate the matter internationally after meeting with a delegation of 25 victims on 7 October. "I may ask the Interpol (international police)," Khalife said. Interpol involvement would be required to extradite and bring the two suspects back to the UAE for prosecution.

Many victims paid the steep visa fees by using up personal savings or taking out high-interest loans from lending agencies. They became suspicious only after Trip Expert abruptly scrubbed its digital presence. Applicant Cherry Laroga noticed the red flags when the company's heavy stream of Facebook advertisements suddenly stopped on 24 September, and a TikTok search surfaced comments warning that applications were not being processed. Her agent then told her the company had no funds, that employees were unpaid, and that her visa application could not be finished.

The fallout quickly escalated across social media, prompting victims to storm Trip Expert's abandoned corporate offices demanding refunds and to report the incident to the Philippine Consulate General. The victims are mostly domestic helpers and caregivers.

Warnings for prospective OFWs

The case fits a pattern of UAE-bound Filipino workers being targeted by fraudulent visa schemes. The Philippine Bureau of Immigration reported in June 2024 that it stopped three OFWs at NAIA Terminal 3 before they could board a Cebu Pacific flight to Dubai, after their UAE employment visas were found to have been tampered with; the victims were reportedly unaware and were presumably misled by a single recruitment agency, and the case was turned over to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking.

Then BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco warned aspiring OFWs to be proactive in verifying the authenticity of all documents presented by recruitment agencies or employers. "Be wary of any agency or individual promising expedited or guaranteed visa processing, as this could be a red flag for potential fraud or exploitation," he said.

Kislap infers that OFWs in the UAE and those planning to work there should verify any visa offer through official channels — the Migrant Workers Office and the Philippine Consulate — before paying fees, and treat guaranteed or expedited visa processing promises as red flags.

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