PHILIPSBURG--The Court of First Instance on Thursday sentenced a 24-year-old woman to one month suspended with 120 hours of community service for aiding a man in laundering some false cheques of wellness-product wholesalers Manrique Capriles & Sons N.V.
The cheques with a total amount of US $9,787.15 were cashed at Windward Islands Bank (WIB) branches in Cole Bay and on Bush Road.
Stephanie Smith said she was approached by a man she knew as Francisco, who told her she had won a prize in a Pampers diapers contest, for which she would have to cash a check. For these services she was to receive $50.
The cheques in question were provided with a false name and signature. On the back of the cheques were the suspect’s name and the number of her identification (ID) card.
Smith, who did not confess to the crime, and did not show up at her trial at the Courthouse on Thursday was sentenced to one month suspended, and 120 hours of community service, or 60 days in jail, in case of non-compliance.
The Prosecutor had only demanded community service, but the Judge decided to also attach one month suspended to the sentence, because the defendant did not have any scruples to assist the main suspect in this case, Fabio Doralice.
He was sentenced on September 1, 2016, to five days and 120 hours of community service.
Doralice told the Court last year that the stolen cheques were provided with a false name and signature, and cashed in at a bank by Smith, who allegedly received $2,000 for her services.
The rest of the money was equally divided between him and another man named “Irish,” Doralice said at the time.
Doralice received a light punishment because he had turned himself in at the police, had signed a full confession and had started paying back the stolen amount, the Prosecutor explained to the Court.
