The former Assistant Manager of BK International, Lindon Stephney, was today slapped with a $20M fraud charge and released on $150,000 bail for allegedly defrauding a man of money intended for the renewal of an insurance policy for Jags Aviation.
Stephney appeared today before a city magistrate. The charge against him stated that, between July 23, 2018 and August 31, 2018, at Georgetown, with the intent to defraud, he uttered a forged invoice, knowing it to be forged, to Auther Gallagher for payment to be made to CHUCKS Enterprise in the sum of $US92,774. The payment was for the renewal of an insurance policy for JAGS Aviation.
Stephney was represented by attorney-at-law Adrian Thompson who asked that his client be released on reasonable bail.
Facts presented by the court prosecutor stated that, on July 23, 2018 while performing duties at BK International, Stephney issued several invoices to Esau Samad, Chief Accountant of BK International, purporting to show that he received them via email.
Stephney handed these invoices over to Samad to effect payment in the sum of US$92,494 for the annual insurance policy for Jags Aviation Inc. (aircraft) which is situated at Ogle, East Coast Demerara, a company which comes under the control of BK Inc.
The court heard Stephanie was responsible for communicating with the insurer, Arthur J. Gallagher Rick Management Inc., and finalising the annual premium insurance policy.
However, the prosecutor said, Stephney issued incorrect invoices to the Chief Accountant to distract BK International from making the correct payment to the victim.
An investigation was then carried out and he was arrested on October 26, 2018 at BK International and subsequently charged for the offence.
The Prosecutor objected to bail being granted to Stephney, citing the amount of money involved, the penalty, and the nature of the offence. However, the prosecutor’s objections were overruled by the Magistrate and Stephney was released on $150,000 bail.
Condition of the bail is that he lodges his passport with the clerk of court and report every Monday to Brickdam Police Station until the hearing and determination of the trial.
