Lovers Allegedly Steal $30,000 from Scotiabank Accounts, Trial delayed to 2024

Wilkie Arthur

Freelance Court Reporter

#TurksandCaicos, November 25, 2023 – For months from 2018-2019  the TCI Police Financial Crimes Unit and the prosecution team mounted a conspiracy to steal, disguise, and acquire and use stolen funds fraudulently case against a former Scotiabank employee and her boyfriend.

Police said the couple lived in an apartment together in Blue Hills Providenciales at the time of the many illegal third-party transfers via the internet.  In the investigative stages, police executed a search on that apartment unit some five years ago and they found, confiscated, or seized a number of different electronics, including iphones, laptop computers and more for analysis.

Initially, when the duo was charged and arraigned before the court back then, they had to answer to over a dozen dishonest offences, such as:-

• Several counts of theft of chosen action.

• Conspiracy to commit theft.

• Disgusting criminal property.

• Assisting another to retain criminal property.

It’s now nearly five years on and the two alleged Scotia Bank scammers have now seen their case pushed back an additional eight months; they are charged jointly.

KANTHAL CAPRON and her alleged fiancé accomplice NORMAN FORBES, JR were due to face charges in a trial slated for start on November 20, 2023 but due to the unavailability of King’s Counsel Mr. Oliver Smith, who is currently engrossed in a separate trial and is the defence counsel, the matter has been adjourned to June 10, 2024.

Her Ladyship Ms. Tanya Lobban Jackson also set a pre-trial review/readiness date for April 30^th, 2024.

The prosecution has long been ready to proceed with this matter as indicated by The Hon. Mr Willin Belliard, who’s representing the Crown in this matter. He was totally and strongly against this case being put off past 2023, given the near five year age of the case.

Investigators had questioned a number of persons in this matter but some persons including CAPRON’s mother in Grand Turk where alleged funds were transferred to her and other family members’ accounts, refused to give statements.

Other persons refused as well, citing as a reason that no one was really hurt by the alleged theft as reportedly the bank had already returned or replaced the missing monies.

Some of the individuals targeted in the two year plot and maybe called to give evidence in the trial next year are:-

• Marilyn Garnt Williams; some near $6000.00 was taken from her account

• Dennis Williams was hit for nearly $5000.00

• Maire Cede for $1000.00

• Gaiti Rameersdased just over $4000.00

• Aurele Jean near $7000.00

• Juliues Jean near $2000.00

• Nathan Smith near $4000.00

The Royal TCI Police case is that some 16 online third-party transactions were to the boyfriend’s Scotiabank account totaling some near $16,000.00. All of the withdrawals were by CAPRON and FORBES, police claim. The duo was said to have spent the allegedly siphoned cash in Provo and the US.

The Crown intends to call a list of other witnesses questioned by police and statements taken, including the lead and other investigators such as:-

• Richard Dickerson

• Antoine Pierre

• John Parker

• Jean Bullard

• Ryan Grand Jean

• Ebed – Melech Michaud

• Marie Capron

• Jeanne Orange

• Sgt. Jerry Grant

• Alain NDella

• Edward Smith

• Linda Williams

• Patricia Adams.

The defendants are currently on bail, and the judge extended the same bail conditions until the trial.

Attorneys representing Kanthal Capron and Norman Forbes Jr are Mr. Oliver Smith, KC and Mrs. Lara Maroof-Misick.