A 62-year-old man from Sangre Grande, Bernard Rodney, was recently granted $450,000 bail after being accused of fraudulently taking $118,000 from his 92-year-old mother.
Rodney, a driver, appeared before Master Shabana Shah in the High Court on July 22, facing charges of 24 counts of money laundering. Additionally, he was charged with obtaining $118,000 by false pretence and two counts of uttering forged documents.
According to a police press release, the victim reported that her bank account, held in her name and her daughter’s, had been changed to her son’s name without her authorization. Two documents bearing forged signatures were presented to her, claiming she approved the change. The victim denied ever signing these documents.
It was revealed that between March 2018 and April 2021, approximately $118,000 – representing her pension, NIS, and Widows and Orphans’ contributions – was transferred to her son’s account. Subsequently, a report was made to the Fraud Squad, leading to an operation in the Eastern Division on July 20 that resulted in Rodney’s arrest and charges.
Rodney was granted bail under the condition that he reports to the Sangre Grande Police Station twice a week. The case sheds light on the importance of being vigilant with personal financial information and raises awareness about the prevalence of fraud in today’s society.
