Ebanks jailed for 14 years
(CNS): Paul Hume Ebanks (50), who was convicted of 27 counts of obtaining property by deception in a massive status grant scam where he stole over CI$166,000, was handed a total sentence of fourteen years in jail Thursday. The judge said Ebanks had “callously and ruthlessly targeted” his victims, tricking them out of their hard-earned cash, and that he had an “appalling history of dishonesty”, as he has more than 50 previous convictions for deception crimes.
As he handed down the 14-year term, Justice Michael Wood pointed out that Ebanks now has over 80 convictions for obtaining property by deception and the latest case was not just similar to his previous crimes, but virtually identical. He also said that Ebanks’ criminality had been compounded in this case by the fact that several of his victims were scammed after Ebanks had been arrested and charged and was on bail.
The judge noted that the people Ebanks had conned not only gave over what little money they had but that they had borrowed money to give to Ebanks in order to “pursue the holy grail of status”, which they believed would offer stability in their lives and improve the lot of their families.
Justice Woods said he believed that Ebanks’ unpleasant crimes, which preyed on vulnerable people, undermined the integrity of the immigration system and tarnished the reputation of the Cayman Islands. He said that during the case Ebanks had shown no remorse at all and had sought to blame others in prominent positions and damage their reputations as well.
“Your hypocrisy is breathtaking,” the judge said, as he referred to Ebanks’ claims during the trial that he was trying to refund people and the outlandish allegations he made about others, including the complainants and witnesses, after he had suggested people were trying to frame him.
The judge handed down a number of different jail terms for the various counts on which he was convicted, some of which were concurrent and others consecutive. But throughout his sentencing ruling the judge had his eye on the total time Ebanks would be required to serve, given that the crime itself carries a maximum penalty of ten years, which the judge said was not enough, especially given his rap sheet.
The court heard that Ebanks had been convicted of the same status grant crime in 2006 but while he was on bail awaiting trial for that offence he committed further deception offences. Crown counsel Toyin Salako, who prosecuted the case, told the court that Ebanks had also been convicted of conning a businessman out of around $100,000 after he claimed that his daughter had been injured and he needed money to send her overseas for medical treatment.
After serving time for both the status grant and the medical needs scams he was released from jail in 2011, but within months Ebanks was back to his old tricks. Justice Wood said Ebanks had a worrying pattern of repeat offending and had failed to heed the previous warnings of the court when he was told that if he offended again, it would be a “long time before he saw the light of day”.
Ebanks, who has been on an electronic monitor and 24 hour curfew as part of his bail conditions since his arrest several years ago, was given one year and three months time served, which left twelve years and nine months more time in jail.
Although eligible for parole after serving 60% of his sentence, there will be no automatic release for Ebanks unless he can demonstrate to the Conditional Release Board that he is a changed man. He is also facing deportation once he is released from jail as, ironically, he does not have Caymanian status.
Ebanks was born in Jamaica but brought to Cayman as a small child and adopted by his Caymanian step-father. He failed to apply for status in his own right as an adult but was given a governor’s permit following his previous release from jail enabling him to remain in Cayman — a position he exploited when he began his status scam in 2012.
Category: Local News
Dressing sharp for prison. Why no instant deportation? He isn’t Caymanian, hes a thief who squandered people out of their money and now the public purse has to fund his thieving ass in prison. Can’t we just tie him on the back of the tugboat and drop him off where he came from?
Seems kind of unfair – 14 years! Whilst someone killing by car only gets 2!!
This guy ! Why would they allow him to stay anyway? Get rid of all these crooks that we are not obligated to keep in this country and stop showing pitty for them
It’s odd that people refer to him as Jamiacan when in fact he was raised in Cayman from a young child. Furthermore, his hertirage has nothing to do with his conviction. Also, check your facts (ie freedom of information) 90% inmates both male and female are born “through and through” Caymanians. But that’s besides the point. I just hate when a conversation turn nationalist and incorrectly so. Fact- immigration officials have been selling time on the side for years – known truth, yet no one seems to mind or mention this. White collar crimes are never demonised as much, because it’s difficult to see the victims through a corporate structure. Apply a little common sense, and you would consider the number of victims that were actually harmed in white collar crimes. Furthermore, Aspinall was in a position of trust. Ebanks got what he deserved but stop painting every foreign with a broad brush.
Is it fair to say then, that Caymanians can be deported and allowed to return on Governors Permit? Lol
Umm, he is referred to as a Jamaican because he is a Jamaican.
So true my friend
yall grew up with him, you all are just a bunch of hypocrites, unna jus a good ole boy like yall.
The people who were trying to buy citizenship need to be dealt with in the court as well!
“He is also facing deportation once he is released from jail as, ironically, he does not have Caymanian status.”
Haha. You shit me not! Wow. Now this has to go down as a top 100 of Ironic happenings. Should have bought himself one. Haha. That’s rich indeed.
That’s good. You deserve to spend every day of it inside you wutless thief. I’m happy to see someone get justice as I got none when you stole my motorcycle and sold it to a juvenile from East End. Good riddance.
If this guy steal motorcycles I hope he rott in jail and suffer every last day of it…
The people who gave him money should be deported immediately and without any recourse along with the convict.. Whether or not he was lying about the dealings with “high ups” within the government, an allegation which is not that hard to fathom to say the least, these are people who obviously believed it to be truth and were more than willing to “buy their status” and help to further degrade the democratic process in Cayman in exchange for it. How can such behavior be acceptable and/or legal? None of those who were so willing to benefit from and enhance the culture of corruption deserve to be anywhere near the Cayman Islands, not even as a tourist or inside the territorial waters of the Cayman Islands.
Fact is, there are residents who, just after Ivan (and post 2003-grants), wrote personal 5 figure cheques for “expedited service”, on advice from practicing Cayman attorneys. Can’t say it helped them, but those cheques were cashed!
Paul hume Ebanks aka Ponicchio and his con games boy i thought you had stop this $#@& a long time ago. You must be sick of da court house and jail mann??? That shirt and tie got to go bro the PPM must have bought that for u? for attempting to do their dutty work for them.
Agreed ppm is His friends
UDP got him his right to remain when he got out of jail last time, not the UDP.
Say what?
UDP or not UDP, that is the question,
11.02am. I think you intended to say not the PPM. Some of his chums backed out,
Why this conman was allowed to stay here after the first prison sentence is beyond me. not too bright by the powers that be
Because legally he cannot be deported- human rights will hold.
For those who don’t understand sentencing, he was given the term because there is no hope of rehabilitation. It was not based on skin colour and to be honest, I think he truly deserves it.
Well Pinocchio the jig is up bro, you and your pink shutt! Your collusion with certain political forces to defame others has failed too. Its too bad we can’t deport them too before you finish your long sentence. See Ya and don’t want to beee ya! You are a despicable piece of S#!& though.
He should get 27 years no good
I’m confused, he got way more time that Canover Watson, and Canover did the Country an injustice that will never be forgotten…..
I know what Ebanks did was wrong but when you make comparisons some things just don’t make sense…strange place.
I see where you are coming from on that. I believe the underlying difference is the repeat offenses and the sheer volume which now sits at 80 convictions where as Canover is like 7 I believe. NOW that said I believe Canover;s 7 dollar wise is greater but don’t think it works perfectly in that manner. I believe the repeat offenses and the amount of them outweigh the dollar value and Ebanks dollar value is also quite high. But yeah I do see your point there.
It’s truly sad cause I know Canover and went to school with him. So sad, such a good mind put to waste to do bad things. And what kind of hurts me a lot also is me of a lesser mind could have done a far better job than he did with the crime. That said I am no criminal but he did really a piss poor job at it.
Yep – Ebanks got 6 years first time around, not dissimilar to Watson
Yup, and possibly neither are Caymanians.
Repeat offender, he will dream up his next scam for when he gets out whilst serving time and probably run a few within prison itself.
That guy should get 27 years no good
The difference between Aspinall and this guy is that Aspinall was clever enough to know when the jig was up and fold when this guy just kept on drawing dead. Another way the justice system prejudices the less fortunate and less well educated.
Still a staggering contrast. This guy is the one harming the country’s image?? Who outside of cayman gives a rats backside about status??
Nothing to do with the fact this was repeat offending, that offences were committed whilst on bail, that he attempted to implicate others and he didn’t plead guilty? No, its down to the system prejudicing the less fortunate, right.
He is a absolute disgrace to our Cayman Islands High School Graduating Class of 1982.
On completion of his sentence, he should be deported immediately to Jam Rock !!
Caymanians are too trusting of jamaicans, period. The vast majority people caught and convicted of criminal behaviour are from Jamaica or have known Jamaican parentage 1-2 generations. Keep your head in the sand!
anonymous 11/11/16 2;15 pm, you must be living in another world. More than 80% of Northward is of what parentage? There are so many that particular parentage, ‘CAYMANIAN’, that some are even spending time in US Federal prison. Be careful when you make such broad statements.
Eh? Why is this worth three times the sentence of Aspinall? Oh right, he’s a black Caymanian who has never played rugby.
He is not Caymanian though. I think you missed that part.
I think you missed the part that he was adopted by a Caymanian stepfather and is Jamaican by birth, and both parents are Jamaicans. Oh sorry, he has to be a Caymanian as he could not possibly be Jamaican where his kind is so rare.
Nah he stole from the public, not some fund. Public lives matter.
Aspinall should have got a lot more than just 3, I agree. Having said that, this has nothing to do with being black or white or playing rugby. You’re obviously not all that bright since you don’t understand that… This guy is a repeat offender who has been jailed for the very same thing years ago. He offended while on bail… Did you read the flipping article? He tried to blame others and damage their reputation in the process. He stole money from vulnerable people – money that they did not have. He is a con artist who has plied his trade for decades. Aspinall returned the money, apologized and blamed only himself. Big difference. Stop being a racist please.
Racist? I believe you need to go look in the mirror. How the heck you got racist out the question? If you compare both crimes, both men stole from people and Aspinnall was in a position of trust and his plans of committing and hiding the crimes were well premeditated. If he was not caught red handed, do you really believe he would have turned himself in? For all we know, there could be more companies he stole from that we have not identified yet. For Mr. Eubanks, yes he is a serial con artist and I 100% support a lengthier time because he is beyond rehabilitation. But I believe Aspinnall got off easy especially because he was in a position of trust.
No color issue here with me BoBo…just seeing it as it is.
He ain’t your Bobo, Bobo. And yes, he is right, stop being a racist!
There are hardly any comparisons with the Aspinall and this case. It is so disheartening when persons make these broad sweeping statements with no thought process. Paul Hume Ebanks is a career con artist and it was high time that he be stopped and deported at the end of the sentence. Having said that, I trust that there was also a deportation order for Aspinall. I can’t recall if that was part of his punishment.
80 offenses to his name. He is a career criminal. Did you read anything in the article?
You might have missed the 53 previous convictions Ebanks racked up? Slight difference there between him and Aspinall……
WOW … this guy is a real con artist!
I don’t condone this gentleman’s crimes but I don’t understand the sentence when compared to Aspinnall’s crime? They both defrauded people and Aspinnall’s amount doubled the amount of this guy yet Aspinnall got 3.5 years? What is the difference?
Big difference, Aspinall repaid every cent that he stole, pleaded guilty immediately, multiple victims were not involved, and no previous convictions. Ebanks pleaded not guilty, wasted 5 weeks of court time and resources, multiple victims over the course of 3 years, continued to commit offences while already charged and on bail. No real money was repaid to the victims, and he has previous and similar offences. These are all good reasons why he got that sentence. I however agree that Aspinall got off easy.
He is certainly not a gentleman so please don’t call him one. II thought I read somewhere that he did not get status but someone else stated that he was adopted by his step- father who I assume is Caymanian. That is a bit puzzling. Also I didn’t see where a deportation order was attached to his sentence so I guess that means that we will always have to contend with him. I think if all possible he should be sent off island the day that he gets out of prison. We cannot afford to have him here.
Gentlemen? Seriously?!?!?
Thug, useless and thief would probably be more fitting…..