Accused real estate fraudsters get bail

Tianna Gibbons
Tianna Gibbons

A woman was yesterday charged with two counts of fraud after she was accused of conning another woman out of $375,000 by claiming she could get her houses and land at Dazzel Housing Scheme, East Coast Demerara.

Tianna Gibbons was one of two persons charged separately in the city yesterday with fraudulently obtaining money for the purchase of land.

The first charge against Gibbons alleged that between February 8th and February 17th, at Water Street, with intent to defraud, she obtained $170,000 from Tinesha Jerrick by pretending that she was in a position to provide a house and land located at Dazzel Housing Scheme, East Coast Demerara.

Basdeo Persaud

It was further alleged that between February 20th and March 15th, at Water Street, with intent to defraud, Gibbons obtained $205,000 from Tinesha Jerrick by falsely pretending that she was in a position to provide a house and land located at Dazzel Housing Scheme, East Coast Demerara for Jevon Thomas, knowing same to be false.

Gibbons denied both charges.

Prosecutor Arvin Moore stated that the complainant met Gibbons and was told that she was in a position to obtain a house and land for her. As a result, Jerrick gave Gibbons the money and received documents and receipts. The said documents turned out to be false. Before the alleged fraud was discovered, Jerrick had given Gibbons $205,000 to obtain a house and land for her cousin, the court was told.

With no objections to bail from Moore, Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman granted Gibbons her release on a total of $200,000 bail and adjourned the proceedings until June 25th.

Meanwhile, Real-estate agent Basdeo Persaud was read a charge by Magistrate Latchman stating that on April 10th, 2018, at Georgetown, with intent to defraud, he obtained $100,000 from Anuradha Persaud by pretending that he was in a position to obtain a plot of land, knowing same to be false.

Persaud, 22, denied the allegation.

Moore told the court that the victim, who knew the real estate agent, contacted him and he promised her that if she made a $100,000 down payment, he would get the land for her. It wasn’t until the complainant began to build on the land that she was told that the land was not sold.

Basdeo was later granted his release on $100,000 bail and he is set to make his next court appearance on June 25th.