Woman claims she got just $20K in $1.9M con

| 26/02/2021 | 54 Comments
Cayman News Service
Judith Douglas

(CNS): Judith Douglas (55) has claimed that she kept less than $20,000 despite conning nearly $2 million from a victim in a major status scam as she said she gave the rest to a mystery man. Having tried to down play her role in the crime, Douglas will reappear in Grand Court on Wednesday for sentencing in the case for the second time, hoping for a more lenient term then the ten years she got following conviction after trial in 2019.

Her conviction was overturned last year on appeal because of the prejudicial behaviour of the judge in the case. But given that the original conviction was based on overwhelming evidence, Douglas opted to plead guilty last month, giving her the chance to gain some sentencing credit.

In mitigation she has also argued that while she did take the money from Nathan Robb over a six-year period, she kept only a fraction of the cash and handed the rest over to an unidentified person in government, who she claims she believed was organising Robb’s Caymanian status.

However, Douglas has never revealed the identity of this “Mr Big” who she was acting as a courier for.

The crown has argued that it is essentially irrelevant what Douglas did with the money because she admitted taking it and is convicted of obtaining property by deception and dishonestly, depriving Robb of more than $1.9 million over the period of offending.

Crown counsel Toyin Salako, who has prosecuted the case throughout, said that police and prosecutors have never been able to establish what Douglas did with the money, which, despite being an enormous amount, was taken piecemeal over a period of six years.

Jonathon Hughes, who represented Douglas in the appeal and at this latest hearing, urged the judge to set aside the fact that she had been previously convicted after a trial and not to consider the evidence against Douglas in the case. However, Douglas already has a conviction for the same offence and while on bail in that case, she was still conning Robb in this case.

Justice Phillip St John-Stevens said he felt he could not ignore the previous case completely and the fact that Douglas was committing this offence while on bail for a previous one aggravated the circumstances for her.

He also raised concerns about the difference between the crown and the defence on the facts of the case and the issue of how much money Douglas actually kept. But he said that even though there was a question mark regarding the basis of plea, given the circumstances he would still be sentencing on the basis that Douglas scammed $1.9 million, and not $20,000.

He also said that he would be giving some credit for the defendant’s guilty plea, but noted that it would not be as generous as one given to an offender who pleads guilty on the eve of trial who hasn’t already had the benefit of knowing they are likely to be convicted, as was the case with Douglas.

Douglas was remanded back to HMP Fairbanks until April, when Justice St John-Stevens said he would deliver his decision.


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Category: Courts, Crime

Comments (54)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    When she dress up, she walks like her SH*T don’t stink. She know where the money is or went. Keep her where she is.

    • anonymous says:

      I guess the Canadian lady 2ML was good no return, money laundering , fraud, twelve years two years reduce no asses return, served 4years left last year excellent.

  2. Billy Bob says:

    The irony of a thread in the Caymans complaining about criminals hiding their money is delicious.

  3. Anonymous says:

    There is no mystery man !!! That money is hid till she gets out of prison! Keep her there!

  4. Anonymous says:

    I just don’t understand how someone can plead guilty to a serious years-long criminal conspiracy while protecting the anonymity of politically-connected co-conspirators. Can Mr Robb sue Douglas civilly to recover his $2mln? Perhaps that would compel a full asset recovery? It’s almost as though the judiciary has been instructed to stop their job halfway through it.

  5. Anonymous says:

    For the purpose of tracking and disgorging the proceeds in this crime (which belong to the victim), not to mention, prosecuting a co-conspirator, the identity of the other parties MUST be demystified. There should be an account of every nickel misappropriated! If Nathan doesn’t get these answers he should be suing CIG for the full value of his loss!

  6. Anonymous says:

    Lock her up and throw away the key. She’s a menace to society.

  7. Anonymous says:

    Keep her in prison. She obviously is going to repeat offend as no one will hire her and put her in a position of trust.

  8. Ms. Berry says:

    I think Judith has understood and paid her dues she has been in prison for 3 years now. She has turned over a new leaf and everyone makes mistakes. God forgives us all and we should not be so quick to judge!

  9. Say it like it is says:

    In the UK you get a few years added to your sentence if you do not reveal where the money went.

  10. Anonymous says:

    Theif

  11. Anonymous says:

    Wonder if Mr. Rob is interested in buying the Brooklyn Bridge that I’m selling?

  12. Anonymous says:

    “In mitigation she has also argued that while she did take the money from Nathan Robb over a six-year period, she kept only a fraction of the cash and handed the rest over to an unidentified person in government, who she claims she believed was organising Robb’s Caymanian status.

    However, Douglas has never revealed the identity of this “Mr Big” who she was acting as a courier for.“

    Yeah right! Is she stupid or does she think we’re stupid?

    If you know you’re taking the rap AND lost out on almost $2,000,000 you’d be shouting Mr Big’s name from the rooftops!

    • susie markland says:

      Am pretty sure Mr. Big would never be prosecuted so did you all wonder or ask if she is not innocent or just hate, or bias by the law.

    • T. Baker says:

      There is always a “go to jail” person… That’s how it works…

      • Anonymous says:

        This will be at least the second time she has been allowed to quietly go off to prison for the same connecting person without anyone bothering to flush out who that is. She will have spent most of her life in jail for this anonymous criminal. XXXX Don’t probe any deeper seems to be the order. How is the victim supposed to recover their assets? If I was a divemaster, I’d probably be missing my $2mln right about now.

    • Anonymous says:

      Got to wonder though, that’s an average of $350,000 for 6 years. That should have fundamentally changed her life in a material way. Has the Crown been able to ascertain if she has any assets that could be used to return to the owner? If not there could be a Mr Big or Ms. Judith could be smarter than we thought.

      • Anonymous says:

        She had cars, money lavish vacations, etc she did this repeatedly so was she stole a lot more her aggravating factor was compromise.

  13. Anonymous says:

    Boo hoo. Jail her ass!

  14. Anonymous says:

    Who is this mysterious Mr. Big? – Is he running in the April Election?

  15. Double Crosses at Fairbanks says:

    Poor ole Juds victim or villain now! but the Fix is already in fun times ahead for the Recipients of the Swindle in JAM Down No interest or payment backup plan either. Prison handins and well wishes hope you get out to enjoy the proceeds girl. Mystery man still driving hummer and practicing Obeah! Sooon Come!

    • Joy taylor says:

      She had no other choice than to take the blame for this con as the law turn the blind eye to investigate the complainant knowledge of what he honestly knew and who he dealt with in this case, she was taken advantage of in her first case by her lawyer and the investigator and the prosecutor refuse to bring forth the truth in her story also this case is about lies on the legal side, and last she accepted her circumstances from the beginning did the complainant accepted his no so please until we know that happen in this case and we will never know she did what was best to move forward.

  16. Anonymous says:

    She should receive no leniency without naming Mr. Big and testifying against him first. What is wrong with the DPP? This is prosecution 101.

    • Anonyomous says:

      Let the judge decide, not the witch trial of the expats that hate locals on this Island too much hate Judith was wrong for her part she did but she deserves the chance like any other defendant, This case has gotten a lot of media attention because of her being a local involve with a expat if this was the other way around it would silent just saying.

    • anonymous says:

      Leniency is good for persons already serve half of your sentence, The Judges go by the laws .

  17. Anonymous says:

    Why would this woman get ANY credit for a guilty plea having already been convicted? The judges are too lenient.

  18. Anonymous says:

    whats up with women and money…??? every time i look in headlines they in some money crap…look at tga one serving 12 yrs for con with the wealthy australian?

    • Anonymous says:

      Don’t get your knickers in a knot, there are plenty of men running con jobs too.

    • Anonymous says:

      Judges always gives women less or no jail sentences. Remember the CBC case, the men was jailed and the women was given a suspended sentence. This is very unfail and should not be.

      • Anonymous says:

        Gender equality=joke! Just look at the courts and see how the judges view that…

      • anon says:

        1.14pm Have you forgotten the Canadian lady who was jailed a few years ago and may still be there?.

        • anonymous says:

          Canadian lady left last year, She only did 4 years out of ten years how you like that ask why!

          • anonymous says:

            Canadian had the same sentence ten years for fraud, money laundering, only served four years, am happy she left though she deserves the chance.

        • anonymous says:

          She left Fairbanks almost a year now only did four years received a ten year sentence Pandemic help us all.

          • anonymous says:

            Pandemic help her and more every person deserves a chance why now should this case receive more she time?

    • anonymous says:

      Ten years she got lucky in the Pandemic did 4 years.

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