Trucker fined $7,000 in fake check scam; Another pleads not guilty

A trucker who claimed to be an unwitting participant in a fake check scam was on Friday fined $7,000.

Tyrone Wilson, 35, of Homeycombe Street, on Friday pleaded guilty to possession of a forged document in relation to a Bahamas Mortgage Corporation check for $73,500 that was made payable to Affordable Trucking.

Officers from the Financial Crimes Unit arrested Wilson, 35, at the Shirley Street and Charlotte Street branch of the Bank of The Bahamas on May 4.

Bank staff called in the police after Wilson came to the bank with a $73,500 Bahamas Mortgage Corporation check made payable to Affordable Trucking and inquired whether it was valid.

Wilson told investigators that he had received the check from a man who owed him money for trucking work. The man told Wilson he would be paid once he cashed the check, the court heard.

In mitigation, Wilson’s lawyer David Cash told Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt that he had cooperated with police during the investigation.

Passing sentence, the magistrate said that circumstances of the case explained how Wilson found himself “in this precarious position”.

Ferguson-Pratt urged Wilson “not to be so gullible”.

Wilson had to pay $3,500 of his fine immediately to avoid beginning serving a 12-month sentence. He has until June 7 to pay the balance. Additionally, Wilson has been placed on probation for 18 months. A breach of the terms of his probation would result in a sentence of 12 months. He will return to court on November 8, 2022 for a status hearing.

Meanwhile, another man has been charged with trying to cash a bogus Bahamas Mortgage Corporation check for $80,000.

Prosecutors allege that Anwar Stubbs, 29, of Faith Gardens, attempted to cash the check that was made out to him on April 29.

Stubbs pleaded not guilty to charges of possession of a forged document, uttering a forged document and attempted fraud by false pretenses at his arraignment before Ferguson-Pratt.

He was remanded to prison and returns to court today for a bail hearing.

Sergeant 3605 Samantha Miah prosecuted both cases.

The post Trucker fined $7,000 in fake check scam; Another pleads not guilty appeared first on The Nassau Guardian.

source https://thenassauguardian.com/trucker-fined-7000-in-fake-check-scam-another-pleads-not-guilty/