Jamaican couple Delroy and Yvette Patterson, who are wanted in the United States to face charges in a multimillion-dollar mortgage scam, appeared last Thursday in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court.

Resident Magistrate Georgiana Fraser turned down their bail applications and ordered them to return to court on June 5 when the extradition hearing will begin.

Crown Counsel Jeremy Taylor opposed the bail applications on the grounds that the Pattersons were flight risks.

Mrs Patterson, 41, was the People's National Party candidate for the Sydenham division, St Catherine, in the December 5 local government election last year.

Defraud residents

It is being alleged that Mrs Patterson, who was a mortgage broker while she was living in the United States, conspired with her 45-year-old husband, a former member of the Jamaica Constabulary Force, to defraud residents in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in mortgage deals.

The US federal authorities are contending they fled to Jamaica in 2005 to escape arrests and charges in the mortgage scam. They were indicted in 2006 in the United States as part of an operation known as 'Operation Whose House'.

They were taken into custody three weeks ago by members of the Fugitive Apprehension Team.

The offences were allegedly committed between 2002 to 2005.

The Pattersons are accused of submitting false documents, including mortgage applications, to lenders by way of using straw buyers and fraudulent identifications of innocent victims.

Earlier this month, Mr Patterson was ordered extradited to the US after he waived his right to an extradition hearing. When he returned to court last Thursday he said he wanted a hearing because, at the time he waived his right, he did not understand the proceedings and he did not have legal representation.

Attorney-at-law Andrew Campbell is representing the Pattersons.