By Business Correspondent | In a disturbing development, the Bradford based, Mr. Teddy Ndovie is under scrutiny after accepting £3,500 in January 2024 from a job seeker, for a Certificate of Sponsorship (COS) required for employment in the UK—a certificate that never materialized. Ndovie, who claims he acted only as an intermediary, has made promises to return the money, yet months have passed without repayment.
The development is exposed in initial phone engagements with the COS man’s Leeds based sister, Linsy Ndovie, who for over 15 minutes repeatedly refuses to answer and later starts announcing excuses saying she will only speak in a face to face encounter, not on the phone.
In later call, Mr Teddy Ndovie acknowledged his involvement, stating, “This money came into my hands. I’m not denying it.” Despite his admission, Ndovie has provided the jobseeker and her family with a series of unfulfilled promises. According to the victim, “We are so fed up with the lies… He kept on saying that [he would pay us back], but there’s not even a single penny.”
Ndovie further complicated the situation, citing his own financial struggles and a broken link with a third-party source. “I’ve been going through things,” he explained. “If I had a permanent job, I would say [I could repay] one five even a month. But things are not okay for me at the moment.” Lizzie, however, expressed frustration, noting that Ndovie has consistently promised payments without delivering. “Since end of June… he promised us he would pay us five hundred beginning at the end of August. And he didn’t,” she said.
The escalating tension led Ndovie to propose a payment plan, initially suggesting a £500 monthly installment, which Lizzie and her husband found insulting given the total amount and the time elapsed. “It sounds like we’re insulting this lady,” the mediator remarked during the call, encouraging Ndovie to start with a £1,500 deposit and more substantial monthly installments. Ndovie acknowledged, “I can start giving her the money,” but continued to hedge on concrete dates and amounts.
The victim’s family has spoken over the emotional toll and financial hardship the family has endured due to this. “We took this man on credit,” the victim’s husband said, stressing their frustration over Ndovie’s missed commitments. Despite Ndovie’s attempts to delay repayment, the family’s patience is waning. “Now you are saying [you will pay on] Wednesday,” Lizzie commented, reflecting exasperation with Ndovie’s ongoing stalling tactics.
The case exposed the vulnerability many job seekers face when navigating complex immigration and employment pathways, particularly when relying on intermediaries. Advocates warn that this case may be indicative of a broader problem, with individuals being exploited under the guise of assistance.
If Ndovie fails to fulfill his most recent promise of repayment, the family has indicated they will pursue formal legal action to recover their losses, bringing this alleged scam into the spotlight and raising calls for stronger oversight in employment sponsorship practices.