A man who reportedly conspired with his friend and tricked a woman out of $7.5 million for a house which they did not own, was remanded into custody when he appeared in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate’s Court Tuesday.

The accused, Michael Harriot, 40, construction worker of no fixed address, who reportedly acted as the lawyer in the fraudulent housing transaction, and in whose name a cheque was drawn, was remanded until Friday when his co-accused, Christopher Small, is scheduled to make his first appearance.

The complainant was reportedly conned out of her money after she responded to an advertisement in the daily newspaper which claimed that the house, a four bedroom on Meadowbrook Avenue, St Andrew, was up for sale.

Small, an unemployed resident of Portmore in St Catherine, reportedly pretended that he was the owner of the house and met with the woman and told her that she should make the payment to his lawyer, which she did on December 11 last year.

On acquiring the house, the complainant was reportedly carrying out repairs when the real owner of the premises showed up.

The matter was then reported and Small, who police said used the money to purchase a 2007 BMW valued at $4.1 million, was held in the car in Old Harbour, St Catherine. Harriot surrendered to the police.

Harriot is charged with conspiracy to defraud while Small is charged with money laundering, possession of forged documents and conspiracy to defraud.

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