By Nagra Plunkett, Staff ReporterWESTERN BUREAU:
THE POLICE are now hunting 800 bank customers islandwide, and the Fraud Squad has already levelled charges against 12 persons alleged to have fleeced the Trinidadian-owned RBTT Bank of an estimated $23 million.
Criminal charges were laid Wednesday against Bjorn McHardy, 20, Trevor Chin, 25, Andre Brown, 22, Anthony Chen, Gregory Scarlett, 23, Frank Chambers, 30, Maurice Ottey, 28, Christian Fray, 20, Nicholas Rasinski, 22, Anthonile Tenant, 19, all of St. James addresses, and Omar Messam and Omar Hennis, 21, both of Kingston addresses. The 12 have all been charged with simple larceny.
A 1995 Honda Civic and $1 million in cash were reportedly recovered from Messam, who was picked up by the police in Spanish Town, St. Catherine. Messam had reportedly bought the car with monies he got from the ATM.
Chin was also charged with conspiracy to defraud and receiving stolen property, as according to the police, most of the money stolen in Montego Bay was found in his possession.
The accused men were each offered station bail in the sum of $150,000 and are booked to appear in the Half-Way Tree Resident Magistrate's Court on Friday.
DEEPER INVESTIGATIONS
The Fraud Squad began its investigations in Montego Bay after it was reported to them that the RBTT's branch, in the western city, had been robbed of nearly $4 million by account holders in St. James.
Investigations later revealed that the theft, which occurred between December 25 and December 26 last year, amounted to more than $20 million and extended across the island.
The police believe persons used their RBTT debit cards to withdraw monies that were not in their personal accounts.
Investigating officer, Detective Inspector Fitz Bailey, told The Gleaner that $3 million of the money stolen in St. James has been recovered, which puts the total recovered to about $4 million.
