A former employee was yesterday charged with embezzling $1.4M from Beepats.
Jason DeFlorimonte, 26, of Lot 131 Pike Street, Kitty, was not required to plead to the nine indictable charges laid against him when he was arraigned before Magistrate Judy Latchman at the George-town Magistrates’ Court.
It was alleged that from October 1 to October 31, 2013, at Georgetown, being employed as a clerk at Beepats, he embezzled $206,700, $320,499, $238,800, $143,153, $127,848, $350,000 and $17,500, which amounts to a total $1,404,500.
It was also alleged that from August 15 to October 31, 2013, at Georgetown, being employed as a clerk at Beepats, DeFlorimonte, with intent to defraud, made or concurred in making a false invoice purporting to show that Treasure Park bought goods for $9,946 when the actual sum was $25,940. It was alleged as well that during the same period, with intent to defraud, he made or concurred in making a false invoice purporting to show that Bibi Deo bought goods in the sum of $52,046 when the actual amount was $370,000.
Prosecutor Vishnu Hunt objected to bail based on the quantity of money involved. He added that if granted bail, it is very likely that DeFlorimonte may not return to court and if that happens, there will
be no way for the prosecution to continue on with the case.
Attorney James Bond, who represented DeFlorimonte, said that his client was robbed a total of $1.2M and suffered injuries while he was working for Beepats during October.
He added that DeFlorimonte’s job included using haversacks to collect payments from customers at the market places. After the robbery, DeFlorimonte’s employer was of the view that he set up the robbery himself but after it was proved otherwise by police, the charges were made against him, Bond claimed.
Bond further stated that DeFlorimonte submitted an invoice receipt book to his employer and added that it was proven that some of the money Beepats claims his client stole is actually money owed to the company. He added that Beepats is yet to show this receipt book to the police officers.
Hunt, however, stated that DeFlorimonte had reported to the police that he was robbed but investigations into the allegation proved it to be false. He also said that further investigations into Beepats’ claims showed that DeFlorimonte falsified some of the accounting documents and stole the money.
Magistrate Latchman subsequently remanded DeFlorimonte to prison until December 4.a
