The St Andrew North police yesterday confirmed that they have arrested and charged three persons in connection with an overseas-employment agency that has been accused of fleecing at least 100 women of some US$1 million.

Police identified those arrested in connection with the racket as Michael McGwan (manager), Kerry-Ann Reid (assistant) and Cameil Richards. They were held Wednesday and are to face fraud charges in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court on July 24.

flocked

THE WEEKEND STAR learnt that scores of women on Wednesday flocked the Constant Spring Police Station demanding that action be taken against proprietors of the Constant Spring-based agency. The women came from as far as Portland, St Mary and St Elizabeth.

One of the victims, who opted to not be named, told THE WEEKEND STAR that she forked out US$1,270 between last December and January to secure her employment. That promise, however, was not met as a visit to the agency this week only revealed that the office was no longer in operation. "All the computer dem move out," she said. "The place lock down."

The woman said she and more than 90 other women had paid substantial payments, the lowest being US$1,200, but sensed something was amiss in February.

problems

"We were supposed to leave the island that month but we didn't because they said they were having problems getting the petitions. We suspected something was wrong and asked for refunds," she said. "They told us they would deduct US$500 from our money if they refunded it but we didn't care, we asked for the refund and we still didn't get it."

The woman said there was no doubt in her mind that the fake agency had made a killing off the large group of women as even when she was trying to get her refund new innocent faces would pop up at the premises making payments, hoping to get employment abroad.