FOUR PEOPLE ARRESTED IN DIVORCE SCAM

News is emerging that the divorce scam in Jamaica could be more widespread than initially reported. This was revealed by Justice Minister Delroy Chuck in an interview with RJR News last night.

He made the disclosure after four persons were charged yesterday in connection with the scam. The Minister said there is likely to be more and that they should be extricated from the system.

The Justice Minister last month revealed that his Ministry discovered a scam where divorce decrees are being signed by fictitious judges. The decree absolute is the second of two documents required to dissolve a marriage. Mr. Chuck said the Ministry became aware of the scam after persons, who obtained a divorce and later remarried, turned up seeking new marriage licences.

The Counter Terrorism and Organised Crime Investigation Branch, C-TOC, has made a breakthrough in the divorce racket which has been uncovered at the Supreme Court. Four persons including a Supreme Court employee were charged yesterday with forgery; uttering forged documents and conspiracy.

Those charged are 40-year old Assistant Clerk at the Supreme Court Camille White; 44-year-old Construction Worker Artnel Sampson; 35-year-old studio engineer Wayne Annakie and 36-year-old farmer Shervin Levy. Ms White was arrested when she turned up at work yesterday morning.

It’s alleged that in 2015 she collected $20,000 as part payment to fast-track a divorce for one of the complainants. She failed to carry out the transaction. The four accused were each offered station bail in the sum of $100,000. They will appear in court on October 26.

Head of C-TOC Assistant Commissioner Fitz Bailey says the investigation into the divorce racket continues. Justice Minister Delroy Chuck recently announced that his Ministry uncovered the racket at the Civil Registry of the Supreme Court.