THE wife of the former Victoria Mutual Building Society (VMBS) employee implicated in an $18-million fraud scam at the financial institution was yesterday charged with money laundering and conspiracy to launder money by the fraud squad.

Meanwhile, her husband, 35 year-old Roxroy Mendez, has also been slapped with the additional charges.

The woman, Donna Mendez of Mansfield Heights, Ocho Rios, appeared in the St Ann’s Bay RM Court yesterday and was granted $500,000 bail with surety. She is booked to reappear in court on August 28 and was ordered to surrender her travel documents.

Mr Mendez, who has been charged with 14 counts of larceny as a servant following allegations that he defrauded VMBS of over $18 million over a four-year period, was granted $1 million bail with surety when he, too, appeared in court yesterday. He is set to return on August 28.

His travel documents have also been seized, he is to report to the Ocho Rios Police Station daily, and a stop order is to be placed at both airports as an additional measure to prevent him from leaving the island.

Senior RM Winsome Henry repeated her concern that the accused may not turn up for trial if given bail and deliberated on the matter for a considerable period before yielding to requests from attorney H Charles Johnson, who was assisted by attorney Natalie Messado-Brown.

“I am still concerned, because with a matter so serious he might not turn up,” RM Henry said. Johnson repeated his plea that the judge could impose any condition in granting his client bail.

“My client would not do anything to jeopardise his family; that’s the kind of person he is,” Johnson argued. “His travel documents have been surrendered; he’s a family person. In fact, he hasn’t done anything to interfere (with the case) since his arrest. If you are not satisfied, your honour, you might impose any conditions you see fit…. Immigration could be notified.”

The magistrate countered: “But to make matters worse for your client, there are these additional charges.”

But she finally relented, due mainly to the prosecution’s withdrawal of objections to bail. Clerk of courts Howard Pinnock told the court his position changed based on measures that have been implemented by the police to prevent the accused from interfering in the case.

Pinnock had based his objections to bail on the possibility that $6 million, allegedly withdrawn from a joint account held by the couple, could be used to interfere with investigations into the case.

But Detective Inspector Fitz Bailey told the court that two cheques and some cash, totalling a substantial amount, have been handed over to the police since the last court appearance. He did not say what the amount was.

Mrs Mendez was charged under Section 3 1A of the Money Laundering Act after allegedly withdrawing the $6-miilion from a joint account with her husband at Jamaica Money Market Brokers (JMMB), a day after he was charged.

The withdrawal earned the wrath of RM Henry who used that as a basis to deny Mr Mendez bail on two previous court appearances.

Superintendent Devon Watkiss of the Financial Crimes Unit told the court that based on transactions that took place between the couple after Mendez was charged, and involving money allegedly stolen from VMBS, the couple was being charged under the Money Laundering Act.

Asked by RM Henry if the transactions involved funds being removed from joint accounts held by the couple, including the removal of the lump sum from JMMB, Watkiss said it was so.

Mendez was charged July 15 after investigations revealed transaction irregularities at VMBS where he worked for 17 years, rising to the position of accounts supervisor.

It is alleged that between 1999 and June 2003 Mendez manipulated foreign currency transactions at VMBS, skimming more than £144,000 and US$166,000 over the period.