Annandale fraudster fined $100,000

An East Coast Demerara man was fined $100,000 when he appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan and pleaded guilty to a fraud charge.

Christopher Ramsammy, of Lot 51 Courbane Park, Annandale, East Coast Demerara, admitted that during the month of May 2016, he fraudulently obtained $850,000 from Ravi Duran claiming to be the owner of a motor vehicle bearing registration plates PVV 3489.

The 31-year-old man was also accused of uttering to Duran a fake registration document for the said vehicle, on May 13, 2016.

Police Prosecutor Deniro Jones told the court that the vehicle was entrusted by its legal owner, whose name was not provided to the court to his friend, identified to the court as “Tall Man”, who also happens to be a friend of the defendant.

However, ignorant of their plot, Duran agreed to purchase the vehicle and paid the $850,000 sum.

An agreement of sale was made between the complainant and Ramsammy, who also created the fraudulent vehicle registration documents.

Ramsammy told the court that his intention was never to sell the vehicle to Duran but rather to pawn it since his friend “Tall Man” told him he was low on cash, and it was a way for them to make money.

It was at this point that Magistrate McLennan enquired from the Prosecution the whereabouts of “Tall Man”. Prosecutor Jones told the court the man’s location is currently unknown to Police.

Ramsammy was ordered to repay Duran his $850,000 on or before September 30, 2016, with his first payment of $250,000 on July 30 for the fraud charge.

He was also ordered to pay a fine of $100,000 for uttering the fake registration documents to Duran. However failure to pay will result in him spending two years in prison. He will return to court on July 1.