$600M scam accused gets $1M bail

A $600-million fraud probe took a new turn in court today when one of the accused women walked free on bail after being charged by the Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency (MOCA.

Ivana Campbell, 29, an executive assistant of Cedar Grove, Portmore, St Catherine, was granted $1 million bail when she appeared before the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court on charges linked to an alleged multimillion-dollar scam targeting several financial institutions.

Campbell is facing multiple charges, including breaches of the Proceeds of Crime Act, the Larceny Act, the Law Reform (Fraudulent Transactions) Act, as well as conspiracy to defraud at common law.

As part of her bail conditions, the court ordered Campbell to surrender her travel documents, report regularly to the police, and placed her under a stop order at all ports of entry.

She is being represented by attorney-at-law Samoi Campbell and is scheduled to return to court on February 4.

Her co-accused, Dwayne Potter, who was not present in court, is expected to appear on that date.

Meanwhile, investigators say the alleged mastermind, medical doctor Chloe Douett, is set to appear before the St Catherine Parish Court tomorrow.

According to MOCA, Campbell and the other accused were charged following coordinated investigations by the agency and the Financial Investigations Division into what authorities describe as a highly sophisticated fraud operation.

Investigators allege that the scheme was carried out over an extended period and involved the use of forged and fraudulently obtained documents, resulting in five financial institutions being fleeced of more than $600 million.

- Tanesha Mundle

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