Woman stole $390k from bosses
(CNS): Nadia Powery (35) stole around US$370,000 in less than one year from a vacation rental firm where she worked, before going on to steal another $19,000 from a new employer after she was fired and on police bail in relation the first theft. Crown counsel Toyin Salako told a court Friday that Powery was able to take US$389,087 because of the trust her employers had placed in her. The judge also heard that she began stealing because of financial difficulties but soon went on to spend the cash on lavish shopping trips.
Powery pleaded guilty to most of the charges against her in 2017 but had disputed the amount in two counts, which delayed the progress of the case through the courts. But the amount she stole was eventually agreed earlier this year.
When Powery, who is the mother of five children, one of whom has a serious medical condition, came before the court Friday for a sentencing hearing, the full details of the crime were outlined in public for the first time.
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Salako said that Powery was able to steal from her first employers, Cayman Villas, a family business, because the owners trusted her so much they gave her blank signed cheques when they were away and allowed her to deal with the general management of the finances, though she herself was not allowed to sign cheques on any of the company accounts.
Nevertheless, she was able to use her trusted position to transfer money to pay her own bills, forge her employer’s signature and make electronic payments to her friends and family, who withdrew the money and gave it to her.
When her employers finally realised that someone was stealing large sums from the company, they began paying attention. In November 2016 cash from a vacation rental was not showing up in the account, so they called Powery into the office for an explanation.
At first she said the property had been rented to some of her friends and they had failed to pay the bill but that she would pay it back. But when she failed to do that and was asked if she had made cheques out to her fiancé, she admitted that she had, as well as other cheques to other people. As a result she was fired and a police investigation was opened.
While on bail as that inquiry progressed, Powery secured a new job with Saxon but failed to tell the company that she was under investigation for stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from her previous boss. But within just a few months she stole over $19,000 from the insurance company by reversing payments.
Powery would take a payment from a customer, log it into the account and give them a receipt for the amount paid. But she would then cancel that payment and make a new one that was slightly less, pocketing the difference. She did this more than 160 times before a customer complained and the theft was exposed.
Salako listed a number of aggravating factors in the case for the judge to consider as she deliberates on the sentence, including that Powery’s theft was sophisticated, planned and highly profitable for her; she had abused a position of trust, implicated others and committed offenses while on bail.
The crown prosecutor pointed out that this type of employee theft is increasingly prevalent and such offences undermine the entire financial services sector.
But speaking on her behalf, defence attorney Richard Barton told the court that the crime actually lacked sophistication and it was clear she was bound to get caught. He said the crime had begun because Powery, who has had a difficult life and had overcome serious abuse at the hands of the father of her eldest children, was in genuine financial need.
Barton pointed to the ongoing medical costs for one of her children, who has a lifelong health condition, and the battle she had keeping up with family expenses.
But he also revealed that while the deception had begun because of need, it soon turned to lavish spending. He accepted, too, that his client had caused “consequential financial harm”, especially to her first employers.
But he argued that until this crime, she had been a woman of good character who had always worked to support her children, despite suffering from depression and anxiety and dealing with a history of abuse. He said she was extremely remorseful and very disappointed in herself, as he urged the judge not to jail Powery for a long period and to consider the impact it would have on her children.
After listening to the submissions, Justice Marlene Carter said she would need time to consider the appropriate term and would deliver her decision next month.
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In a world full of “Tekashi 6ix9ines” she showed Cayman what the definition of a “REAL G” stands for.
No snitching, no blaming, no bag of names of ppl that might have benefited, no crying on the stand. Taking this like a real “G”.
?..caymanians fold quicker than superman on laundry day.
I literally just laughed out loud in my store in Palm Beach County and a customer asked me what’s so funny?😆
@j What a waste man comment..
I agree she should have called names, should be interesting to see who might have benefited and gained from her mistake.
The sad thing is the police know who the other people are. There is evidence that proves their guilt. It is beyond me how and why they have not been charged or arrested.
Corruption? Incompetence? Negligence? Laziness? Permissiveness? No Broughtupsy? Different standards than the rest of society? Lots of possible reasons.
We all make mistakes some larger than others…. I pray that each one of you that cast judgement is able to a woman and man and admit to their mistakes as this lady did.
It’s very sad that most of the negative comments on this page is hidden behind anonymous person and most of them seem personal as well. I guess she might have a bigger problem that her mistake, it’s could be that of the people that is close to her and was around her. Or perhaps it could be many of YOU just just to sink her with lies and without any facts?
She held her head up during all of this and remained a graceful lady, how much would be able to say the same??
Nadia those who knows you, know who you are, the person you are. Shameful is the people that might have been on the kind side of Nadia but has audacity to scandal her now.
Keep your Head up Nadia!! You did your crime and you owned up to it 100%. You didn’t cry and point fingers and cast blame, which I feel you should have done because many would not be able to comment today.
You can hire her once she does her time and trust her 100% with the financial aspects of your business. Please cry me a river of sympathy, she is only sorry because she got caught and she is using the excuse of her “child’s medical” issues. That is casting blame and looking for sympathy. Graceful is not something she should be in this situation. No one is prefect and we all sin differently, the issue is she didn’t just steal from one employer but two. I know a person who stole from one of the retail banks she worked for and was never able to get a job in finance again…… Nadia was given a rare second chance on this small island to work for an established well known insurance firm and did nothing but repeat her bad actions…. Most of us learn from mistakes and do our best not to repeat them especially when we are setting examples for our children.
You’ve posted on the other post as well… https://caymannewsservice.com/2019/01/woman-admits-stealing/
somewhere in the thread there… Enablers. Makes me sick!!!!! Lock her up. She should be forced to pay it all back in the same amount of time that it took her to steal it.
Agreed completely, making excuses for her actions will only justify and make what she did ok. As a single Mother, I understand the struggles however it is not in my nature or part of my ethical principals to steal. It is often during these situations ( when opportunities to steal arise) that a person true nature comes undone. A thief is a liar and a liar is a murderer !!!!!!
9.24am Only in Cayman do people stand up for criminals. You just have to be a relative. How could this woman fail to “own up to it” when her greed was documented?. She only pleaded guilty to get a reduction in her sentence, she is not graceful, only self serving, and never in a million years would I call her a lady
Handled it with grace??? what a foolish comment. Nadia is a liar and has been stealing for years. She was caught with other employers who choose to deal with her privately as they did not want to be put in the public eye.
She did not open one penny of her child wit medical issues.. not one!
You seem to know quite a bit, almost in the sense of a stalker or a really big fan! Wonder which is it?
Learn the meaning of grace and then you will be enlighten and educated and you would change your very low way of thinking and comprehension of anything bigger than your small mind.
Grace means “an attractively polite manner of behaving” and no doubt from what we read and seeing her behavior during this time she conducted her in nothing but “Grace”.
And to elaborate a little more on small minds, what is your knowledge and proof she spend nothing on her child with medical issues? I guess this is where you admit you are either a stalker or a really huge fan or even a wolf in sheep clothing making her circle. Which is it?? If you are none than you are a bad mind person speaking from pure hate with no proof! Either way you turn this post it looks horrible on you!
She will live with her crime and sin and she has owned up to everything and it is printed many times has shown remorse. Are you without sin?
@9:24 “Mistakes” ? That’s a lot of mistakes 389,087 to be precise!
It all started with not being able to pay for medical treatment.
THAT is were it went wrong.
.
It is a result of a society that protects the wealthy and does not care about the poor.
Sorry I disagree with that statement. She was employed and should have had medical coverage for her children through her employer. I am a single mother and I pay through my ass for medical coverage for my two children every month. Some say I can afford to but I say I cannot afford not to. I struggle like any other responsible parent ( single or not) and I have never been tempted to take what is not mines or what I did not earn. If I take 5 mins from my employer I give them back 15 mins. The question is how much of that US$400K was spent on medical issue for the child ? There was other options, government assistance and fundraisers This goes beyond a “medical treatment” issue and is being used as an excuse to justify a perpetually bad habit . I strongly doubt this was her first Rodeo.
Please learn the facts on the costs of all the surgeries and medical assistance needed to allow a child with this medical issue to live comfortably. Do not assume that your struggles are the same as hers. You seem to have 2 healthy children, you cannot begin to fathomed the struggle of taking care of one sick child as well as other children.
A lot of this going here.with certain of these businesses, false invoices is easiest way to do this some of these employers who trust their office managers are getting fleeced whilst they spiriting the monies to their homelands and building big time houses .Not only Caymanians mixed up in this thievery ,some issuing cheques to friends and acquaintances for fake jobs and padded bills to businesses they own also stealing from clients properties they manage.
The Englishman who was taken to court , tried to steal almost 4 times that much , was given a slap on the wrist and charged with “deception”. Now living large and grinning at government house cocktail parties.
I do not know who you are speaking of but think I know who you are talking about. He tried to steal once. It is disgusting that he is on the Governors cocktail party circuit. She actually stole more than 100 times, and continued even after her arrest. BIG difference.
Ironically, this is a result of the “no tax” system in Cayman. With no need to pay tax there is no incentive to put proper accounting systems in place for small businesses. Times have changed, you can’t do you accounting on the back of a napkin.
Any business small , med and large need to implement proper checks and balances in their business dealings. Trust but verify. Simple rules to follow with or without a tax system. I don’t care who you are, no person with proper business sense gives an employee blank checks and don’t reconcile their records on a regular basis to the point that they lose over US$300k. She had to be doing this for an extended period of time, as large amounts would not go unnoticed. The second employer it pick up after the lost of $19k and their checks and balances need to be reviewed as well.
She was the accountant for her first employer i.e. no one to check. It was a small family owned condo and she was in a position of trust. She got caught as the owners noticed their bank account balance went from a million to half a million.
Second employer, she fixed the receipts and ledgers so everything balanced. It was only when clients complained of receiving delinquent notices, after clearing their debt that she ended up getting caught.
She is a highly intellectual person, to have deciphered crafty ways to swindle money. She needs to stay locked up as she’s a pathological theif.
There are plenty of single mothers out there struggling and are making do with what they have at their disposal and not resorting to theft.
The accused has an addiction of a glamorous lifestyle. Plain and simple. If she wasn’t caught, she would not stop. Unfortunately, after a while, comfort is followed by complacency and that would be your demise.
Having stolen that some of money and being caught, you would think that the accused would have remorse and seek counseling? But instead continued on her rampage with another firm? That she would think of her children and to be there for them? All of that is out the window for her, so I hope she gets the maximum penalty. Please, there is absolutely zero mitigating factors in this case. What a shame. How are you going to be there for your children in the future? The family who received the funds to aid in the theft should be implicated. That’s too much money to not ask a question. I am surprised that was not done.
Unfortunately , we have a scenario where the subsequent employer did not follow due diligence in hiring new staff including asking for a reference from prior employer or calling the former employer. XXXX I have no regard for the loss of funds there. Sorry. I would welcome the setup of a local theft database as a deterrent.
You almost appear like you know her personally and want to spite her. How do you know she had such a glamorous lifestyle, is that what you think or is that what you know. Please do not state opinions or assumptions as facts.
We have all sinned, and sometimes we give into temptations. She owned up to her crimes and will suffer the consequences but do not act as if you can possibly understand the reason why.
these things were LITERALLY STATED IN COURT
She’s Caymanian so let her off, she entitled #caymankind
Are heads rolling…..nooooo this is the private sector
$370,000 fr one employer AND a further $19K fr one who hires you on bail Nadia?
When you got to delivering TWO children you should have stopped having more ….
Birth control is FREE at all district clinics and at Womens Health Center at HSA .. USE IT ..
An injection every three months means you go to the clinic 4 times a year yet you just kept adding to your burden when you were incapable of caring for two much less five?
Yes children are expensive BUT many single parents have never turned to stealing!
Had you used your intellect for your good instead then you wouldn’t have been caught in this mess …
Then to add insult to injury you chose to you park yourself with a brokeAZ male who didn’t help you or the 5 children but instead added humiliation & pain thru domestic abuse?
You need help girl to recognize your worth …
You have unwittingly truly exemplified the theory:- CHILDREN LEARN WHAT THEY LIVE!
Sad that you didn’t learn whilst growing up & having the lessons for free to BE DIFFERENT & NOT CARRY ON THAT CURSE!
Sad that those were lessons you should have learnt from but instead you did worse and exacerbated poor choices in relationship AND employment!
I don’t know IF you’ve learnt or gained any more insight into how to live within your means ie buying what your paycheck can purchase BUT you will have some time to think about it whilst you’re parked in Fairbanks!
Try whilst there in prison to reach out to The Crisis Center and get help from that abusive relationship … Get out from that …
Try to utilise NAU to aid you with even basic food vouchers
Try getting free lunches for the children so you only need provide breakfast & dinner!
Try learn a new skill like hairdressing whilst in prison so that you can work for yourself and teach your children how to be self-reliant AND for children’s sake plx plug yahself so you don’t add any more to punish & be deprived …
You simply CANNOT afford more children Nadia … GET HELP girl … there’s plenty there to aid you:- PLZ USE THE RESOURCES available…
THIS COMMENT IS UTTERLY DISGUSTING AND FULL OF CRAP!
So much of what you have said is false and so much of what you have said is idiotic and makes you appear to be an educated fool.
Do you lack common sense, do you think a person’s first resort is a crime?
Has it ever occurred to you that maybe she did access NAU and Free lunches and all the other services. Please try to comprehend the struggles of someone other than yourself. This comment was pure bad mind and i am quite disgusted that so many people liked it. Just shows how Caymanians choose to treat each other. You are not anyone of higher power and shouldn’t talk about her in such a manner. Have respect because you are 100% emotional and opinionated. Speak facts please not foolishness!!
Your comment is foolishness…..
Nadia has been stealing for years. She is a master manipulator and clearly has you fooled.
Regardless of struggles you do not resort to stealing. She spent every dime she stole on a flashy car, bikes, trips.
She will never get NAU again or a job. She dug herself deep and for what?
Poor woman, she’s just playing on the wrong pitch. If she were a government minister she would be respected and have a fair chance of getting a building or street named after her one day.
#lame
She finally pleads guilty after her delaying tactics allow her to steal another $19,000 and for this opportunity she will be rewarded with a third off her sentence. Does this make sense?.
If you can take 370k from your employer before they notice, the accountants need to be fired too.
she was the accountant.
Big big carry down.
Oh please!!!! I don’t even recall her taking her kids on any of those “luxurious” trips! Said it before, and I’ll proudly say it again, Nadia is a thief!! She lives to please the Jones’. They are caught up living the hype life – or were. She should be made to pay back every cent plus interest – I agree with a previous poster. Cayman Judicial needs to put their foot down on this nonsense.
And it seems that it is so clear that you know every detail of her life. It seems you are too caught up in others lives to notice when you are being bad mind and hypocritical. Please speak only what you know, not what you assume or have heard because you are not stating facts.
5:25 I think this information was in open Court.
Obviously you’re an Idiot, and you’re very ignorant to what is before you. We will probably hear about you stealing in a few years too *yawn*
Those who don’t know the real story are quick to throw stones.
I know the real story and every persons name who was involved but CNS won’t allow ppl to post those names as they have not been arrested.
Nadia is a liar, thief, manipulator, con artist and should be locked away.
@7;01 Tell us the “real story” please.
Bouchard got 12 years for ‘eye-watering’ theft (she wouldn’t have been prosecuted elsewhere for she was an authorised signatory). She is Canadian.
Then,
there is a travel agent who got cleared of 14 fraud charges because she has been just a terrible business woman which did not make her a con artist or thief. Hmm…
Let see what the appropriate term will be for this “woman of good character”.
It is situations like this that give young Caymanians a bad name and cause us to constantly have to prove that we are hardworking, trusting and capable employees. This sense of entitlement needs to be squashed and maybe we can avoid these scenarios. I am a single mother of two teenage boys, and I don’t have it any harder or easier than anyone else out there. I have a college degree, a professional qualification and relatively good paying job. I still struggle from time to time. I have to plan and save for vacations, fun times and luxuries when I want them, and I don’t live above my means. If I see something outside my purchasing power, I make an assessment as to 1) whether I can afford to save for it 2) how long will I have to save for it 3) is it worth it. I eliminated credit cards and a car loan (every three years) a long time ago. Maybe if she had stolen once and was remorseful and didn’t steal again, I would have empathy, she is a pathological thief and will do so again if given the chance.
She has really sticky fingers!
Why are those that participated in the frauds not also before the court?
Because despite repeated protestations to the contrary, our robust law enforcers do not seem to take criminal conduct that seriously.
The reality is that they are neither robust, nor law enforcers. If they simply did their job all day every day, we would have many less problems in Cayman.
A lot of caymanian women are nothing but a bunch of gold digging,stucked up,follow fashion,clout chasing idiots who wants to be like those glamorous girls they see on TV like love and hip hop!
It would be good if some of y’all would act like real island women but I guess they don’t know what being a real island person is or even sounding like one!.
You sound quite idiotic, stop negatively labelling the women of the Cayman Islands.
The truth hurts cause you are just like them!.
Stealing in the private sector? Really!
Yes, all while the public sector failed to educate and protect, and then released a suspected criminal on bail to steal again.
It will be interesting to see how our Cayman cowboys respond to this one.
Nadia, may you find peace during your term and may God bless you.
So let me guess, the friends and family who received electronic payments from her first employer and gave her cash did not suspect anything was wrong, right?
Or did they get a cut of the action? Has anyone investigated them??
woman stealing again????? wow!
Boo hoo hoo I was abused by my father, yeah well so was I and I haven’t stolen a dime from anyone. A slap on the wrist is all she will get. #caymanjudicialsucks
You are very ignorant, to make such a joke or mockery of domestic abuse and how it affects a person. Please do your research on how it affects people differently, before you speak.
Lol. Wt???
Sorry but “genuine financial need“ is not an excuse for theft! She is still a THIEF! She was obviously NOT at all remorseful for stealing $370,000 and went on to steal another $19,000.
Please judge. Do not fall for the pity party story. This has to stop. $400k is not need. This is pure greed. Her sentence should be how long she takes to repay every penny with interest added.
What a shame, these thieves really need to live according to their means and stop this horrible practice of stealing. She as well as her friends and family members who benifitted should all be locked up. She needs the maximum sentence.
Wow….that’s a serial problem.