Keziah Jeuel Roberts, the nursing assistant who was recently charged with obtaining monies from multiple persons through the operation of a Ponzi scheme, has been faced with 15 new fraud charges.
Roberts, 32, of Lot 88 Eping and Ituni avenues, Bel Air Park and Lot 591 Block 22, Wismar, Linden, was granted a total of $460,000 bail on Friday after appearing before two city Magistrates. She appeared at the George-town Magistrate’s Court Two before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly and pleaded not guilty to 13 of the charges of obtaining money by pretense and was placed on bail in the total sum of $350,000. Those matters were then adjourned until May 21.
Roberts was then brought before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in Court One, where she answered to two additional charges. She pleaded not guilty and was placed on a total of $110,000 bail. These matters were transferred to the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court for a hearing on May 7.
According to the Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU), Roberts registered a business under the name ‘Kapital Kare Invest-ment’ with the Registrar of Companies. She then used business flyers which were posted to a Facebook page to entice persons to invest in her business. Persons were asked to invest the sum of $40,000 Guyana dollars and in return receive an extraordinary return of $180,000 within 21 days of their investment. SOCU said that several persons had invested varying sums of monies in her business and never received their capital or returns as promised.
A report was made to SOCU, which undertook an investigation. Several persons came forward and alleged that they were defrauded by Roberts. A ‘Wanted Bulletin’ was issued by the Guyana Police Force for her arrest. She subsequently surrendered herself to the police in company of an attorney-at-law. She was questioned and subsequently charged. More charges are expected to be instituted as the probe continues, SOCU said.
Roberts was charged two weeks ago with four similar offences and she was released on $180,000 bail. The charges allege that between January 5 and January 19, she obtained money from Lynn Melvin, Mellisa Rupai, Devika Hiralal and Saskia, by pretending that she was in the position to invest the money obtained and deliver a larger amount of money to them within 21 days. It was reported that Roberts collected $280,000 in total from the four women.
At her previous arraignment, Roberts’ attorney told the court that Roberts has no previous convictions and she presented herself to the police immediately after being made aware of the allegations. The court also heard that Roberts was willing to comply with any conditions attached to reasonable bail, which was granted although the police prosecutor had objected to bail on the grounds of the issuance of the bulletin because the woman could not be contacted.
She is expected to make an appearance at the Court on May 21 in relation to the first set of charges.
