A woman accused of nine counts of theft involving more than CI$2 million appeared in court Friday.
Canadian national Michelle Bouchard, 52, pleaded not guilty in Grand Court to nine counts of theft and one each of forgery, obtaining property by deception and transferring criminal property.
The property allegedly obtained by deception was a four-carat diamond ring valued at US$201,235.
Justice Charles Quin set her trial for Aug. 4 and heard that it was expected to last for two weeks.
One man was named as the complainant in all the theft charges.
Bouchard is charged with theft of CI$118,887.46 from the man’s bank account by applying 10 wire transfers to her credit cards at two other banks between June and October, 2010.
The second charge alleges theft of CI$57,752 by transferring money from his account to her personal accounts between December 2010 and June 2011.
The third charge alleges theft of CI$500,000 by depositing money from a specified account to her personal accounts in May 2011.
Details of the fourth charge are that she stole CI$148,778.02 between May 2010 and August 2012 by ordering 41 bank drafts from a specified account and applying those funds to her credit card accounts at two banks.
The next charge refers to CI$82,250 allegedly withdrawn in cash from the man’s account between December 2010 and April 2012.
She is next accused of stealing CI$639,376.23 between January 2011 and September 2012 by transferring money from a specified account to her personal account. The seventh charge refers to CI$738,909.74 allegedly transferred from a specified account to her personal account between May and October 2012.
Details of the forgery charge are that, on or before June 13, 2012, she forged a Kirk Freeport credit card authorization form purporting to be written and signed by the man who is the complainant in the theft charges.
The diamond ring was said to have been obtained on June 13, 2012, by Bouchard falsely representing that she had authority to use funds from the man’s account and a credit card in his name.
Another theft charge relates to US$64,584.01 allegedly stolen by ordering 12 bank drafts from a specified account and applying the funds to her credit cards between June and October 2012.
The final theft charge alleges that CI$25,000 was taken by ordering a bank draft on a specified account and depositing it to her personal account at another bank.
The transfer of criminal property charge alleges that Bouchard transferred $650,000 from her personal account in Cayman to personal accounts in Canada.
Justice Quin reviewed the defendant’s bail conditions: surrender of passport; recognizance in the sum of $10,000; one surety in the same sum; no contact with the complainant or another named person. He asked Crown Counsel Toyin Salako if she were content with those conditions and she replied, “I am.”
Bouchard was represented by defense attorney Ben Tonner.
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