FID seizes close to $1m from man accused of scamming in Trelawny

The Financial Investigations Division (FID) secured the forfeiture of J$825,000, plus accrued interest from a 34-year-old man who was charged with fraud in the parish of Trelawny.

This follows a ruling by Senior Parish Judge for Trelawny, Vaughn Facey on October 14.

The man charged with fraud has been identified as Jermaine Simpson, a 34-year-old tailor of a Duncans/Kettering District section of the parish.

The FID’s Director of Legal Services, Courtney Smith commented on the outcome, “Protecting the country’s financial system from abuse by criminals and ensuring that financial fraud does not go unchecked remains a top priority for the FID.

The result in Court underscores our ongoing commitment to combating financial crimes, particularlythose involving identity fraud and related fraudulent activities that target vulnerable victims both locallyand overseas.

The FID remains committed to collaborating with law enforcement partners and utilizing the Proceeds of Crime Act and all available legal mechanisms. We urge the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities involving personal information.”

Case Background

The events leading to this forfeiture began on September 27, 2022, when law enforcement personnelfrom the Trelawny Police Division, supported by members of the Jamaica Defence Force, executed a search warrant at Jermaine Simpson’s residence.

Upon arrival at the property, officers observed an object being thrown from an open window. The object, later identified as an Apple iPhone SE, was retrieved.

It was quickly established that the phone contained a significant volume of personal identity information, including hundreds of names, addresses, and telephone numbers of individuals residing overseas.

Further examination of the premises revealed additional evidence of fraudulent activity.

Another cellular phone, an Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max, was found in Simpson’s bedroom. During a thorough search, J$825,000 in cash was discovered hidden inside a brown paper bag in a dresser drawer.

Both phones were subjected to preliminary investigations, which revealed extensive records of communications with potential victims and detailed scripts used in what appeared to be fraudulent schemes.

An application called “TextNow” was seen on both phones, displaying a list of overseas numbers used in ongoing scams.

Simpson was immediately cautioned and detained. After being escorted to the police station, Simpson’sphones were further examined, revealing additional incriminating evidence, including pre-written scriptsfor defrauding potential victims.

As a result of these discoveries, Simpson was charged with knowingly possessing identity informationwith intent to use it, contrary to section 10 (1) of the Law Reform (Fraudulent Transactions) (SpecialProvisions) Act 2013.

He was later offered bail with his first Court appearance in the Trelawny Parish Court scheduled in November