Businessman Remanded Over $2M House Lot Scam
A Georgetown businessman accused of scamming a woman out of $2 million under the pretense of securing a house lot was on Wednesday remanded to prison when he appeared before Magistrate Fabayo Azore at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
The defendant, Allister Michelle, of Bent Street, denied the allegation when the charge was read to him.
The court heard that on March 6, 2024, at Ruimveldt, Georgetown, Michelle allegedly obtained $2 million from Yonnette Joseph by fraudulently claiming that he could acquire a house lot on her behalf, knowing that to be untrue.
Joseph, who joined the proceedings virtually, voiced strong objections to bail being granted. She informed the court that Michelle has been wanted by the police since 2021 and has a reputation for conning individuals.
Her concerns were echoed by the prosecutor, who agreed with her objections and highlighted the seriousness of the matter.
In his defence, Michelle claimed that there was a financial arrangement between him and Joseph, and that he had already paid her $500,000. He also asserted that she had willingly shared her banking details for future payments.
But Joseph refuted those claims, telling the court there was never a repayment agreement and she made no such arrangements. She revealed that it was Michelle’s wife who handed her the $500,000, pleading that her husband not be arrested.
Joseph emphasized that she took no joy in seeing anyone jailed, but described Michelle as a “slippery” individual who frequently dodged police by using aliases.
Michelle told the court he had no issue repaying the debt and proposed to begin payments at the end of the month, noting he currently holds two government contracts. He offered to repay at least $100,000 per month.
However, Magistrate Azore questioned whether Michelle intended to use public funds from those contracts to settle his private debts. She made it clear that as a sign of good faith, Michelle would need to pay at least half of the money owed to even be considered for bail.
Bail was subsequently denied, and the matter was adjourned to August 20 for further proceedings.
