Bouchard gets 12 years for ‘eye-watering’ theft

| 21/04/2016 | 130 Comments
Cayman News Service

Michelle Bouchard, escorted by police officers

(CNS): Justice Paul Worsley handed down a twelve-year prison term to Michelle Bouchard (55) in the  Grand Court Thursday just hours after she was convicted of stealing more than $2 million from her elderly boyfriend. “From the time of your arrest in October 2012 you set about stripping out his accounts on an eye-watering scale,” the judge told the Canadian woman as he delivered his sentencing ruling.

“In my judgement you are a manipulative and dishonest woman, driven by greed. When you had stolen a substantial part of his money, you boasted in your journal that now at last you were a millionaire.”

The judge said the aggravating features in case were that the victim, Australian James Bruce Handford (87), was a vulnerable man who was hard-working and a highly successful entrepreneur. But when she met him, he was a man beset with memory problems, sometimes confused and suffering the onset of dementia, so that he did not check his bank account statements and Bouchard’s spending.

He told her that she was in a position of trust that she had abused, as he pointed to her persistent course of conduct that continued over a period of many months. The judge said she had used different ruses to persuade Handford and the banks to allow her unfettered access to his accounts.

Justice Worsley said that Handford was generous to her and even assisted her homeless brother but she spent his money on an extravagant lifestyle, with cosmetic surgery, liposuction treatment, a safari, cruises, properties, paying of credit cards and stealing well over $2 million. The judge said she carried on a double life of apparent care on the one hand and deceit and dishonesty on the other. She lied to the family and the bank and even forged his credit card authorisation document.

In the final days she transferred around $1 million and attempted to transfer more out of the jurisdiction, and when the police came for her she was about to flee with all of her possessions packed and the removal men waiting.

The judge added that he had seen no evidence of remorse whatsoever.

Justice Mosley noted some mitigating factors, stating that she had never been in trouble with the police before and had glowing testimonials from people in Canada. He accepted her relationship with Handford was legitimate and that she was an intelligent and able business woman. The judge also added that some property was recovered because her assets have been frozen. He said that prison is an experience that will not be easy for someone like Bouchard, who has enjoyed the high life, and that the sentences should be no longer than absolutely necessary.

“These offences are so serious that only custody is appropriate,” he said, as he set out the sentences for the 25 convictions.

For the various counts of theft he gave Bouchard seven years in total but he then added another twelve month term for one count of forgery. However, the total sentence increased further when he turned to the money laundering charges, as he took a very serious view of those convictions.

“The impact on public confidence in its financial services sector, which is the lifeblood of this community, cannot be understated,” he said, as he handed down four year terms for three counts of transferring criminal property and three year terms for five counts of attempting to transfer criminal property, to run concurrent to each other but consecutive to the other charges, ending up with a twelve-year sentence.

Bouchard was found not guilty of just one count of theft, relating to money spent from Handford’s joint account to pay her credit card bills between 2010 and 2012, a total of $184,869.01.

The judge also told the court that as much money as is available to restore the funds which she stole from Handford would be seized as she should not benefit in any way from her dishonest use of his money. The crown told the court that it intended to make an application to confiscate her assets to retrieve the stolen money at a later date.

Bouchard currently has a local account with CI$596,569, another account with US$550,449, an account in Canada with CAD$51,081, a condo at Ocean Club partially paid for with cash from Handford, as well as money and jewellery worth hundreds of thousands in a safety deposit box.

However, prosecutors said much of the money that was stolen and transferred to Canada cannot be retrieved because there are no treaties between the Cayman Islands and Canada that will allow the money to be confiscated. Simon Russell Flint QC, who led the prosecution on behalf of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, said there was another account in Canada which they believe had around CAD$1.4 million, but the money is thought to have been withdrawn by Bouchard’s father.

The judge adjourned all of the financial applications for a period of three months to enable the prosecution to decide whether they wished to pursue a submission that Bouchard was pursuing a criminal lifestyle, to determine the total value of the restrained assets, to indicate what figures they wanted to ask the court to consider by way of confiscation, compensation and restitution.

He also noted that the crown needed to prepare for the court considerations over what sum should be paid by Bouchard to the Legal Aid Fund and whether it is appropriate to order that she pay towards the prosecutions costs as well.

Bouchard remained impassive throughout the sentencing hearing before she was remanded in custody and led away by prison offices to begin serving her term.

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Comments (130)

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  1. Chris says:

    The sentence reflects society’s valuation of what or who has been subject to or victim of a crime. According to the sentencing scale, we see clearly that money is valued higher than a person’s life or a child’s safety, in the Cayman Islands.

  2. Unison says:

    This is so sad. What greed can do to a person. Society with Capitalism has turn money into a god. Money is repeatedly taken as a means to being happy and fully satisfied. So when someone is desperate, weak minded and feel a dire need for monies, he or she will end up doing unethical things in order to get what he or she wants. But basically, everyone has greed and is in need of liberation from “wanting things”. Everybody want a better life, and many have done alot of wrong things and not get caught. It is sad she is sentenced for 12 years for her greed when many others behind close doors wallow in it. Perhaps it was God’s will that she was caught. If she wasn’t, something worse may have happen to her living a life of greed.

  3. Anonymous says:

    What exactly (or even approximately) is an “eye watering scale”?
    Does that mean fast? Does it mean sadness inducing? Does it weigh tears? Help me out please.

  4. Anonymous says:

    Personally I consider her crime, if she committed any, far less serious than the many bank clerks that steal from customers and get let off with light sentences after a sob story.

  5. Anonymous says:

    Reminds me of my stepmother!

  6. Anonymous says:

    Why wasn’t she ordered to return the money from Canada? If this money is unrecoverable has justice been served if this parasite has become a millionaire as a result of these blatant thefts? I can’t imagine this is the case ….

  7. Steely Don says:

    Another Canadian swindler goes down plenty more to go? Ho’s up Quebecois down!

  8. Anonymous says:

    The fact that she moved the money to Canada to a bank account with her dead father’s name infers this woman was well aware what she was doing.

    She wanted to make sure if she was caught they wouldn’t confiscate those funds because they were not in her name.

    If her father has been dead for years why is there still an active bank account in his name? I am assuming if she didn’t notify the bank of her father’s death and there was activity on the account there would be no reason for the bank question it.

    Remember Canada isn’t small like Cayman where everybody seems to know everybody else’s business.

    If it cannot be returned to the man I hope the Canadian Government can take possession of it as proceeds of a crime.

    Yes, theft by deception is a crime!!!!
    The fact that it was a joint account doesn’t make it not a crime.
    Commenters talking about it isn’t a crime because she was on the account but she was put on the account for the purpose of paying bills and doing errands on his behalf, not to transfer funds to herself.

    She admitted she did not put a dime in that account.
    She is a thief!!!!

  9. Anonymous says:

    Please keep her in Cayman. We don’t want her back in Canada!!! In fact, she’s not even Canadian. She is French from Canada – when you ask a French Canadian where they’re from they say “Quebec”, as if Quebec was a country. No thanks, keep the filth down there.

  10. Anonymous says:

    Two people migrate to our community. One commits a crime against the other and now our community has to pay $600,000 to punish this criminal over 12 years. That is 30 scholarships or the 10 year employment of councilors to help our kids to leave the gangs.

    I am sorry, this is unfair to Cayman. There has to be a more fair way of punishing criminals.

    • Anonymous says:

      DID you think about this when the politicians started double dipping, hiding other people’s money in Vegas or doing favours?

      DID you speak up about how many scholarships Jeff Webb could have provided?

      How many scholarships could Canover Watson supply?

      These are also unfair on Cayman and I suspect things like this will continue to be.

      But hey, whilst there are furriners to blame, let’s not look too closely at our own.
      They are leaving though so we may want to rethink this through.

    • Anonymous says:

      5:14, what an ignorant statement.
      Bryce Merren is a Caymanian, should the USA send us a bill for his incarceration costs? What about Jeffrey Webb when he goes away?
      I suppose you want us to export any expat who commits a crime instead of prosecuting and jailing them if convicted? Crime would go through the roof, b/c the attitude is “if i get caught, nothing will happen, they just send me home.”
      Yes we have to prosecute and jail anyone who commits a crime in our jurisdiction, then deport them upon release.

  11. Sharkey says:

    Watch and see who visit her in prison , and you would see her true colors .

    • Sharkey says:

      I hope world is watching and seeing what can an would happen to you when you involves yourself in games like this and FIFA and care pay, or any dishonesty act .

  12. Walt says:

    This lady is laughing all the way to the bank!! Let’s see if I get this straight – this lady rips of an old man, the judge sentence her to 12 years and she probably spends 7 years for good behavior. Then she is deported and goes to Canada and has access to $1.4m? Now I have to pay $60k per year to feed her and house her for minimum 7 years at a total of $420k. Something not right here!

    We have to do something to stop future criminals coming to cayman and taking advantage of the residents and investors.

    Also isn’t the father an accomplice?

    • Anonymous says:

      No bobo, her paapa dead long ago.

    • Anonymous says:

      Well, it reads like Mr. Handford’s Family will have to pursue a case in Canada, if they would like to recover the remainder of the his money.

      I say start criminal and civil proceedings against her, in her home country. She can answer to a ills from prison and/or in absentia.

      Doggonit, the Woman’s a down-right, up-right, left-right,…Swindler!

      SHAME ON HER!

  13. Anonymous says:

    I feel she has been very harshly treated. Many of these cases involve a man who is happy to have an attractive younger company even if it comes at a cost and the next generation do not like it as they see it as their inheritance being squandered. Sometimes the man turns on the women if the family turn him. Even if that was not the case here, she is far less immoral than Cannover was either her sentence is too long or Cannover’s is way too short.

    • Anonymous says:

      If she had had a judge alone trial she would have got off. Reasonable doubt. She was judged for her immoral greed. I do not feel sorry for her but she may be successful on appeal.

      • Anonymous says:

        The guy who stole from his seven mile beach developer clients got off with a judge alone. A jury would have seen through his crocodile tears in the witness box.

    • Anonymous says:

      There are many women who are attracted to older men, either because of their money or because they are seduced by the man’s position of power or authority in the community. ThecAustralian gentleman simply enjoyed the ride and paid the price.

      • Anonymous says:

        @7:01 pm – But that’s just the problem. He paid the price but didn’t get to enjoy the ride.

  14. Just Sayin' says:

    She is not unattractive and I’ll be looking for a suga mamma around the time she gets out…Hmmm

  15. Susanne Godarski says:

    I Knew this lady she and her family and friends were living LARGE all enjoying BIG money only saw one of these so called friends standing by her when she got sent down all those personal loans told me once she doesn’t speak to low class scum. When are we going to start sending home some of these michelle bouchARD’s we got round the place here?????? I guess your daddy will use some of that money to pay for the appeal Well Michelle girl you made it to the big time nowl Cause you ain’t saying bounce here if you ain’t criminal You Going down Bouchard!!!

  16. LB says:

    Reassessing the importance of privacy for democracy. The battle for informational self-determination. In an age in which personal data is routinely collected about each and every one of us, we are increasingly remote-controlled. Privacy as a legal right is an instrument for fostering the specific yet changing autonomic capabilities of individuals that are, in a given society at a given time, necessary for sustaining a vivid democracy.
    The use of personal data largely eludes precise peremptory norms and while being easily reversible by cancellation in theory, this is hardly controllable in practice. These facts especially apply when it comes to accessing online communication platforms.
    Everyone should look into the Right to Informational Self-Determination.
    Thi first “Diary case” in Germany reversed the defendant’s conviction on the ground that the use of defendant’s private dairy agains her in court decisively violated her right of “free self-determination of personality”.
    http://policyreview.info/articles/analysis/consent-under-pressure-and-right-informational-self-determinationTh

    • LB says:

      What is Informational Self-Determination?
      The capacity of the individual to determine the disclosure and the use of his/her personal data, to control and to determine what others can, at every moment, know about his/her respect.

      • Anonymous says:

        have you heard of doing the crime AND the time that follows it?

      • Anonymous says:

        If you record a confession of your crime, I have no problem using it against you. Keep it between you ears if you don’t want to see it in court.

    • Anonymous says:

      Oh dear. All those long words an then you refer to the ‘defendant’s private dairy’. Well I guess she was milking it for all she was worth.

    • Anonymous says:

      LB, you keep referring to this German case about a persons journal not being admissible in court. Well, this isn’t Germany, and we use the Britsh legal system, so I fail to see how this is relevant.
      I’ts safe to assume that Bouchards legal team did everything possible to keep her journals out of court before the trial. I’m sure the judge reviewed it and decided they were admissible. So please, cut the crap.

      • anonymous says:

        What did she do to you, personally? Why are you so eager to throw rocks? Because everyone does? Because you are a saint? Don’t be so sure that your privacy will never be violated. Your facefook info can be easily used against you. As for the German Constitution, other countries are looking into this Right for self-determination.
        Emotions and hysteria aside, her privacy was violated and if a good lawyer can use it, then good for her.

      • LB says:

        7:44 pm
        The right to informational self-determination has been widely recognized in many legal systems. It is the right of people to choose freely under what circumstances and to what extent they will expose information about themselves. Human dignity, freedom, and autonomy have been identified as grounds for a right to privacy. The US Constitution contains no express right to privacy and the Privacy Act deals only with data possessed by federal agencies, Europe, Latin America, and Canada have laws that recognize such a right and, in many cases, create public agencies charged with remedying privacy violations. Whereas the US courts understand, and protect, the right to privacy largely in relation to personal decisions and belongings (e.g., abortion, parental education, search warrants, etc.), in Europe, Latin America, and Canada, privacy deals with protection of personal information in the hands of government or private citizens.
        Many legal systems have awarded explicit and constitutional status to this right. It is also enshrined in international treaties on human rights such as the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.
        The right to be let alone and the right to our personal memories as two sides of the right to informational self‑determination.

        • Anonymous says:

          @ 9:07am, Get Lost, with this nonsense. She was adequately and fairly processed by the RCIP. No one stole her diary to admit as evidence to the CI Courts, it was obtained by way of a valid search warrant. It was logged as an exhibit, and it will remain that way despite your dire efforts to employ Constitutional Ruling to this matter.

          SO, GET LOST or GO HAVE A COOL BEER & CHILL. IF YOU CONTINUE MISSING HER, YOU ARE AT WILL TO USE YOUR “FREEDOM” TO VISIT HER IN JAIL.

    • Anon E. Mouse says:

      I can see from your continuous attempts at defending Michelle’s actions that birds of a feather do flock together.

      • LB says:

        This is not about defending her actions but selective application of the Law. Many under similar circumstances were not even prosecuted, some received reduced sentences. The Law is the Law, it should not be applied arbitrarily.
        This is about everyone’s rights to Human dignity, freedom, and autonomy.
        We don’t live In medieval times. Witch-hunting belongs to the embarrassing past-time.

        • Anonymous says:

          Whilst the law should not be applied arbitrarily, it should be applied where it is appropriate and in this case it is certainly appropriate.

          I can’t quite work out if the thrust of your argument is that she should not have been prosecuted because others have not been prosecuted, or that although damned by her own words, those words should have been ruled inadmissible.

          In either case you seem perfectly happy to ignore her guilt. I wonder why?

        • Anonymous says:

          what a crock LB.
          Canover Watson was recently convicted, and he had similar evidence used against him. I believe he described it to the jury as “doodling” . Yes your FB account can be used against you in court. The fact is, just b/c you write something down with the intent that it will never see the light of day, does not mean its not admissible in court.

  17. Anonymous says:

    If only she was a politician. She could have just claimed there was no written policy against it.

  18. Anonymous says:

    I hope this judge gets to preside over any new firearms cases.

  19. Sharkey says:

    Just thinking, for god sake please don’t put the two of them together because the Islands would be corrupted when they get out .

  20. Anonymous says:

    women…you can’t live with them and you can’t live with them!

  21. Sharkey says:

    The Prosecutor said that money transferred to Canada cannot be retrieved because there are ” no treaties between Cayman Islands and Canada “.

    I think that these are the kind of things that the Premier should be working on instead of calling for early election.
    Protecting Cayman Islands investors against this kind of criminal conduct , and be able to go after all funds for what ever reason in criminal cases .
    If Cayman Islands had a treaty with Canada , I am sure that there would be a good chance that the man family could get their money that was stolen from them in this case .

    • Anonymous says:

      You do realize that a treaty would work both ways…might not be in Cayman’s best interest to get involved with that kind of treaty with Canada.

      • Anonymous says:

        You don’t actually need a treaty to seek restitution. The family can also go after that money civilly. The prosecutor is not trying very hard if he can’t think of a way to pursue it

      • Anonymous says:

        Yes, this is the cost of trying to hide money from authorities.

  22. Anonymous says:

    CanadianKind

    • Anonymous says:

      Pure Sharks (lol). Often looking and accessing money that they’re not legally entitled to!

    • Anonymous says:

      I think HumanKind is a more apt description instead of bringing down to a specific nationality. Greed is trait that covers all nationalities and all HumanKind. I note that Cayman does not have any greedy people!

  23. Marathon says:

    ” In the final days she transferred around $1 million and attempted to transfer more out of the jurisdiction, and when the police came for her she was about to flee with all of her possessions packed and the removal men waiting.” I don’t remember seeing any of this in your coverage CNS? Pretty significant to the story I’d say – utterly damning.

    • Anonymous says:

      Chris Gurvin also transferred stolen money to Canada and he only got 7 years….but he was a Jamaican and this was his second offence, so I guess that was the reason for a lower sentence.

      • Anonymous says:

        Did he have 26 counts against him?

        • Anonny Mouse says:

          Was he fool enough to keep a diary?

        • Anonymous says:

          Chris had 18 counts of fraud and 3 counts of money laundering but he pled guilty, negating a costly and lengthy trial, for which he gets consideration (discount) for. The judge used a starting point of 12 years based on sentencing guidelines. 8 years total

        • Anonymous says:

          Michael Leavitt also transferred money to Canada. He’s now being shipped there to serve out part of his sentence. Amazingly his brother is a top man in CIBC . We consistently have criminals that leave and go back to enjoy their stolen loot .it’s bad for the islands. Fortunately this prosecutor was exceptional and has taken steps to help the victim recover what they can.

          • Anonymous says:

            My brother is also a nut job, that has nothing to do with me.

            • Anonymous says:

              Ever heard of the Kray brothers? Your statement is true, sometimes. Sometimes you are your brothers keeper. Anyway Will be interesting to see who Michelle’s ‘father’ is.

        • Anonymous says:

          Pretty close at 21 counts and his theft was $19 million.

  24. Just Thinking says:

    Looks for a nice girlfriend for Canover.
    Now that would be a match made in prison.

  25. Sharkey says:

    I think that she was trying to take gold digging to a new level .

    I have watched a lot gold diggers hard at work , but never in the way this one was doing it . It almost looks like she was gold digging and playing cougar at the same time.

    But I applaud the Judge for handing down a good sentence , and should keep it up.

  26. Somebody's Biatch says:

    Here’s to you Papa living large in Canada You are just as criminal as your daughter and the sad part there are many just like you living and operating in these little islands. please feel free to come visit her sometime so we can lock up your punk @$$ too!

  27. Anonymous says:

    I guess when you are finally caught there is only one thing left to do.
    Drop to your knees and ask “what would Jeff Webb do?”

  28. Big Time deportee says:

    To answer the person in Jonathan Welcome’s Blog who was looking for a Canadian Here you are another one here For US?????? Alot more need jailing round this place Eh???? another one bites the dust another one gone hopefully????

    • Anonymous says:

      Gone? It has just been announced that you are keeping her here for at least another 8 years and paying for her keep.

  29. Knot S Smart says:

    I am looking to add a wealthy lady to my love-life… She must have at least $2 million…
    How do I make an appointment at Northward?…

  30. Anonymous says:

    It seems dishonesty runs in the family. if her dad withdrew over a million dollars from her account, he had to know it was ill gotten gains. He is holding onto it for her when she gets out of prison and is deported back home. Cayman authorities will not be able to touch her or confiscate the money in Canada.
    She will get what she deserves in the end. She may be smiling now thinking she has a nest egg waiting but she will regret this later on.

    • Anonymous says:

      Another failure by the Canadian regulatory apparatus. Cayman prosecutors should file this with FINTRAC, and test Canada’s existing “proceeds of crime” legislation. Canadian banks are supposed to ask the same “source of funds” questions on incoming transfers that Cayman banks have asked for decades. FINTRAC can (and should) fine Mr Bouchard’s Canadian bank, since this seems to be the only way to get the Canadian banking system to smarten up and get in line with longstanding FATF guidelines. The Cayman authorities should start by naming/shaming the Canadian recipient bank and getting some news coverage in Canada on how poorly regulated their banking/financial system is. We’d be doing them and the whole planet a favour.

    • Anonymous says:

      He’s been dead for years!

    • Anonymous says:

      Surely both Cayman and Canada, having the Queen on their coins, joins them in some mutual laws governing these areas?

  31. Anonymous says:

    As usual, it’s the Cayman community that loses. Now we have to feed, clothe, and house this self made Canadian millionaire for twelve years while her self made Australian millionaire gets all his money back. I wonda why???

    • Greg says:

      Do you think the Australian should pay??? Why he didn’t commit any crime

      • Anonymous says:

        I am saying I don’t think the Cayman community should pay. The Australian seems to have more money than he is interested in securing for himself, and in fact if he did not allow this to happen it wouldn’t so yes that might be a good place to start.

        • Anonymous says:

          How vile! Youre one of those creatures that thinks a rape victim deserved it and she was looking for trouble. Crawl back under the rock from whence you came. The system worked in this case. You may have your home broken into and when they do remember you probably have more than the thief and failed to secure your premises sufficiently so you deserved to be robbed. Vile!

        • Anonymous says:

          Its the price of being civilized

  32. Anonymous says:

    I’ve known Michelle casually for many years. She’s very intelligent yet she always struck me as a little psycho too, like if you crossed her the wrong way she would run you over. There is a reason she’s in her 50’s yet never married, especially since she is fairly attractive. I wasn’t surprised by the accusations when I first read this story, as she was jobless yet living very extravagantly the last few years. Not sure if 12 years is a fair sentence, but I hear most typically serve less than 1/3.
    I guess she has a lot of time on her hands to work on her appeal.

    • Anonymous says:

      You are judging her character, not actions. No one is saint. Plenty of wives use sex for favors. Plenty of women kill for money. Plenty of people in happy relationships without sex. The plaintiff has memory problems. You might not like what she has done,but her conviction has no legal basis. Google Mechele Linehan case.

    • Anonymous says:

      MY EXACT THOUGHTS. A kind woman, most of the time if not a bit sarcastic, but I always thought “she’s not someone I want problems with.”

  33. Anonymous says:

    The journal is what did her in. Bragging to herself about “becoming” a millionaire, her gravy train has left the station, but the nail in her coffin was her comment about the bank account statements and hoping they didn’t go back too far for his daughter to scrutinize them. That clearly shows her state of mind, and she knew she was stealing. What a sick bi#ch.
    if she had any sense she would have one, married the guy, and two, NOT KEEP A JOURNAL!!! Stupid is as stupid does.
    Now she will serve maybe 4-years, get out when she’s 60, go back to Canada and have to start her life over again with whatever money she is able to hide from the authorities. Very sad. Part of me feels sorry for her, the other part says justice was served.
    Well done to the RCIPS, the prosecutors and all involved. Nice to see our criminal justice system working for a change.

    • Anonymous says:

      I agree with everything you said except the part were you feel sorry for her! Can’t agree with that. You gamble high you lose high – very simple!

  34. Anonny Mouse says:

    She wasn’t putting out and she was getting millions when women much younger put out and only get a new cellphone or a trip to the nail salon.

  35. Anonymous says:

    We have too many white collar criminals here in the Cayman Islands. They walk around in their fancy suits, ties, leather brief cases and driving BMW’s, Benz, Audi’s and Volvo’s along Seven Mile Beach.

    You see them every month toasting champagne in our colorful magazines.

    Bunch of waterlogged wash up’s on our shores – Furrinerkinds.

  36. Anonymous says:

    Another 12 years of free room and board.

  37. Anonymous says:

    “Oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive”.
    The sad part is that GREED got in her way because Jim would give her anything she asked for so really was no need to steal from him!
    Nothing gained. Nothing…….
    And really even sadder to read where her father may have been involved in hiding funds in Canada!
    It is there that her training in greed would have been founded……So disgusting!!
    And then there are the reciprocal treaty issues between Canada and Cayman that MUST now be written in ink!

  38. LB says:

    Google: “Exclusionary rules in Comparative Law”. Interpretations of the constitution by the BGH (German courts). BGH court reversed the defendant”s conviction on the grounds that the use of the defendant’s private diary against her in court decisively violated her “right of free self-determination of personality”.
    Ms.Bouchard attorney should look into Cayman constitution on privacy rights protecting individual autonomy and informational self-determination as aspects of privacy and dignity to see whether a defendant’s diary was admissible as evidence.
    She is not a criminal.

    • Anonymous says:

      Does the B stand for Bouchard by any chance?

    • Anonymous says:

      She may be an opportunist, but she is not a criminal. She was in a relationship with a man who allowed her to use his money. There were no written contracts to follow. Child molester who get 6 mo is a criminal. The broad day light child killer who was acquitted is a criminal. She is not.
      Her attorney must appeal on the grounds of inadmissible evidence.

      • Anonymous says:

        No, the legal elements of theft were made out in this case. She knew what she was doing was dishonest and would be seen as dishonest, which is why she did it in the way she did. Her entire evidence was an attempt to make it all look normal, to tell a tale of a relationship where this was permitted or at least not objected to by the man, but her conscience and her journal betrayed that she knew she was stealing, and the jury didn’t buy her explanations which was quite right.

      • Anonymous says:

        She should have spent more time taking care of him, rather that insulting him in her “journals of artistry”. Her relationship was disingenuous i.e. speaking of him having bad breath, soiling his underwear, and likely not being to perform sexually is not a sign of a genuine or prosperous relationship.

        His money was the only thing she found appealing about being with Mr. Handford.

        SHE IS A CRIMINAL: A THIEF!

      • Anonymous says:

        I couldn’t help but to read your support for, presumably, your friend’s high-level theft. Maybe you should have provided her a free abode, give her joint access to your bank account, instead of having her and let her aimlessly marvel in her opportunistic behavior by swindling your wealth.

        THE WOMAN IS A THIEF!!!!!

        I HOPE SHE CONTINUES HER “LITERARY ARTISTRY” FROM JAIL, and is generous enough to share them with you. Maybe you can help in her search for the “next opportunity” [ i.e. victim].

      • Anonymous says:

        Why was she trying to run then?

      • Anonymous says:

        Please explain the large transfers after her arrest and then the attempts to flee. Oh wait, yes I see your point about opportunist. That was her last opportunity to clean him out before leaving Cayman to avoid being charged and convicted. Another Rotarian amongst others who fail to see right from wrong. Worrying.

  39. Anonymous says:

    She doesn’t deserve 12 years. Murderers caught red handed are given not guilty verdicts and child molesters just 6 months. Her conviction was based solely in her diary. Old man created this mess and then changed his mind. She is not a criminal and doesn’t deserve jail time. Public humiliation created by the media is cruel enough.

    • B.M. says:

      You have got to be kidding! This woman documented her own crimes with and arrogance and sociopathic glee. She should have gotten more than 12 years. She probably paid those Canadian references to say the very best things about her.

      My wife and I have had casual conversation with her leading up to her arrest, I always thought she was a bit off and made no bones about my feelings. I am sorry a vulnerable old man got fleeced by this devil. This was the height of deceit after the man took her in and was very good to her without even getting a taste of the cookie.

    • Anonymous says:

      Has any drunk driver who has taken someone’s life ever received a 12 year sentence in Cayman?

      • Shirley Smart says:

        Very few drunk drivers INTENTIONALLY take peoples lives. There is a difference.

        • Anonymous says:

          You drive drunk behind the wheel when you know that it causes death then yes you intentionally took someones life.

        • Long-Time Caymaniac fm UpNorth says:

          Drinking and then driving intentionally? Sounds intentional to me. Get real, drinking and driving is much too casually handed here, by public and courts alike….as it seems child molestation is as well. Cayman must look to improving its attitude toward what is right and what is wrong. It’s not rocket science, either. It’s not Paradise when any immoral behaviour is tolerated!

  40. Anonymous says:

    As an Australian living in Cayman I approve of this story.

  41. Anonymous says:

    Good riddance to this gold digging scum!hopefully more people like her that steals or avoid paying tax in their country will be caught and send straight to the pen!.#adios

    • Anonymous says:

      Hmmm. That’s interesting. Did she pay proper taxes on the money that went to Canada. Did she use the mail system in any of her activities?

  42. anon says:

    12 years is excessive…no one was hurt physically..rapists get less time

    • Anonymous says:

      Agree – while a lengthy custodial sentence was entirely appropriate, when you compare to, say, what Canover got (for crimes equally or more egregious) then 12 years is too long. 5-8 in total would have been the correct range.

      • Shirley Smart says:

        Bul-l-l-loney! If it were your money you’d think differently.

      • Shirley Smart says:

        If she gets the $2,000,000 in Canada when she gets out (assuming her dear old dad doesn’t blow it before she gets out), she will be getting paid at the rate of $400,000 per year. Not bad.

      • Anonymous says:

        Given the number of offenses involved it’s the appropriate sentence. Canover had no where near 25 counts AND he got off on the one money laundering offense whereas she did not.

      • Anonymous says:

        True, Canover was willing to take from ALL Caymanian people, abuse of trust in his positions, so that alone should increased his sentence, but he’s Jamaican so…

    • Anonymous says:

      For 26 counts including money laundering offenses? Not excessive at all.

  43. Anonymous says:

    women……

  44. Tellme says:

    Canadians !!!!! Give them an inch and they’ll take a yard. I guess she will now experience the low life.

  45. Anonymous says:

    I enjoyed this article, I will subscribe to recieve more just like it.

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