KINGSTON, Jamaica – A woman who pleaded guilty to swindling over J$200,000 for a United States of America visa was sentenced to six months in prison after she made restitution.

Peta-Gay Roach, 24, pleaded guilty to obtaining money by means of false pretence when she appeared in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate’s Court on Monday.

Allegations are that between November 2014 and March 2015, the complainant paid J$210,000 to Roach to provide US visas for her and her family.

Roach reportedly told the complainant that she had a direct link inside the United States Embassy.

When Roach appeared in court, she told Magistrate Maxine Ellis that it was all just a scheme.

“Everything was a lie, I was going through a rough time. It doesn’t justify what I did,” Roach confessed.

“Where is her money?” Ellis enquired.

“I have it,” she replied.

The money was then paid over to the complainant, who was also reprimanded by the magistrate.

“Everybody knows who give visa, the last time I check,” Ellis said. “Why do you think this lady can give you the visa?”

According to the complainant, the accused woman told her that she had received a visa using the same link inside the US Embassy.

She added that she had received an appointment date in June to visit the American embassy.

“You know that it was bandulu. If I was in the civil court you would never get back a dollar. You don’t deserve to go nowhere. You were aiding and abetting to break the law,” Magistrate Ellis charged. “I have no sympathy for you. Everybody trying to circumvent the system.”

“Don’t give Jamaica a bad name,” she added.

Racquel Porter ‎