to P25,350, but said accused, once in possession of the same, with intent to defraud and deceive the herein complainant, did then and there willfully, unlawfully and feloniously misapply, misappropriate and convert [the same] to her own personal use and benefit, [and] despite demands made upon her to return the said amount of P25,350, said accused failed and refused and still fails and refuses to do so, to the damage and prejudice of the complainant in the aforementioned amount of P25,350. Contrary to Law. [6] Complainant Napoleon C. Aparicio,[7] jobless, testified that he came to know appellant through his sister in February 1993. He allegedly talked with appellant Marlene Olermo a.k.a. Marlene Tolentino regarding the latters offer to give him a job overseas. She informed complainant Aparicio that he needed to pay her P40,000 for a work permit and a plane ticket to Saipan where he is allegedly to be employed. Aparicio agreed to pay her the said amount. He made his first payment of P20,000 on March 30, 1993. Appellant allegedly called him up and instructed him to deliver the money, which he did, to a certain Jennifer Balduesa at Danding Building, Municipal Site, Valenzuela, Metro Manila where appellants office, Jirk Manpower Services, is located. Complainant Aparicio made his second payment on April 21, 1993. Again, he delivered the amount of P20,000 to Jennifer Balduesa in appellants office in Valenzuela upon the instructions of appellant. He was issued a cash voucher for each payment he made. [8] Appellant promised him that he would leave for Saipan on May 3, 1993 and she even showed him his plane ticket.However, he was not able to leave on said date. The date of his departure was moved several times by appellant until he began to suspect something was amiss. Hence, he reported the matter to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). Appellant thereafter pretended to refund the amounts he paid by issuing him a check, which, however, bounced when it was presented for payment. [9] He later learned that appellant was not a duly-licensed recruiter. Complainant Ariston Villanueva,[10] jobless, is married to another complainant Mary Jane Aquino-Villanueva. They were not married yet when they first encountered appellant. He testified that he read the advertisement of appellant in a newspaper, sometime in April 1993, offering assistance to those who would like to work overseas.[11] He called the number indicated therein and spoke to appellant. They first agreed to meet in Greenbelt, Makati, but during the appointed hour, appellant did not show up. The following day, they spoke again on the telephone and agreed to meet in the office of appellant in Valenzuela. When they met, appellant informed him and complainant Aquino-Villanueva that she can help them find work in Hong Kong. However, they must pay her P35,000 each for their plane fares and placement fees. On May 3, 1993, complainant Villanueva paid appellant an initial amount of P40,000. On May 20, 1993, he gave appellant P30,000. Appellant issued him a receipt for each payment he made.[12] Their departure, however, kept on being postponed by appellant. Finally, they asked for a refund of their payments. Appellant issued three checks on different dates amounting to P70,000. However, these checks were dishonored when they were presented for payment.[13] In the end, appellant gave back only P19,000. Complainants Villanueva and Aquino-Villanueva subsequently