MOCA ARRESTS KEY PLAYER IN MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR MORTGAGE FRAUD CASE

The Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency (MOCA) has arrested another suspect in the multi-million dollar mortgage fraud which targeted several financial institutions across the island between January 2023 and April 2024.

The 36 year-old suspect was arrested on Wednesday April 29 at the Kingston Central Police Station where he was reporting on pre-charge bail for the offences of Breaches of the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) and conspiracy to defraud. He is the fourth person to be arrested in connection with the fraud, following the arrest and charge of 30-year-old Chloe Douett, medical doctor of Cherry Gardens, Kingston, 29 year-old Ivana Campbell, Executive Assistant of Cedar Grove, Portmore, and 44 year old Dwayne Pitter, unemployed of Olympic Gardens, Kingston.

All four are accused of being part of an organized criminal syndicate that carried out an elaborate and highly sophisticated multi-million-dollar fraud scheme against several banks and financial institutions between January 2023 and April 2024. The suspects are alleged to have carried out the fraud through the submission of fraudulently obtained genuine documents and fraudulent identification documents which allowed them to bypass security protocols and identity confirmation measures at the banks.

In January, MOCA charged Douett with Uttering Forged Documents, Demanding Property on Forged Documents, Conspiracy to Defraud and Failure to Safely Store a Firearm. The agency also charged Pitter with breaches of the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA), the Law Reform (Fraudulent Transactions) (Special Provisions) Act, the Forgery Act and Conspiracy to Defraud at Common Law, in relation to similar but separate conduct.

Campbell and Pitter were also charged by the Financial Investigations Division (FID) with Breaches of the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA), the Larceny Act, the Forgery Act, and the Law Reform (Fraudulent Transactions and Special Provisions) Act, as well as Conspiracy to Defraud at Common Law.

The latest suspect is expected to be charged shortly.

According to Major Basil Jarrett, Director of Communications at MOCA, “today’s arrest is an important breakthrough for MOCA’s investigation but is not the end of the road. We are continuing our close work with our FID partners in order to ensure that everyone involved in this highly sophisticated and elaborate crime is placed before the courts”. He also thanked the FID and the various JCF entities who supported the investigation, operations and arrests.

Major Jarrett is also inviting anyone with information on this and other financial and organised crimes to report it to MOCA’s tip line at 888-MOCA-TIP.