CLAUDIA Verona Roberts, the woman charged with masterminding an elaborate overseas employment scam, was further remanded into custody when she appeared in the Half-Way-Tree Resident Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.

However, Roberts’ attorney Christopher Townsend told the court that efforts would be made to repay the monies allegedly defrauded from a number of complainants on the next court date, scheduled for November 24.

The attorney told the court that Roberts was willing to sell her assets to facilitate the repayments to the complainants. But Roberts has not pleaded guilty to the charges laid against her.

Roberts, who is from Hermitage, Hope Bay, Portland, is currently facing 100 counts on the charge of obtaining money by false pretences.

The police say the number of people who may have allegedly paid over money to Roberts could exceed 500, and that the total amount of money paid over to her may be in the region of $20 million.

According to the Fraud Squad, Roberts allegedly collected approximately US$2.1 million between June and August this year from at least 100 people who had responded to the advertisement.

Fraud Squad detectives say Roberts allegedly opened an office in downtown Kingston called Medley Corporations, and subsequently advertised in a daily newspaper, offering opportunities for clients to work overseas via her company. Scores of people, investigators say, replied to the advertisement and paid over monies to Medley. However, after significant periods elapsed and the jobs did not materialise for the applicants, the police were notified. Roberts was subsequently taken into custody by the Fraud Squad.

The fees associated with the alleged scam involved US$950 to get overseas work permits as well as US$120 for processing and other miscellaneous services.

Meanwhile, the police are still seeking another person – whose identity was not released – in connection with the employment scheme. In the meantime, investigators continue to urge people who paid over money to Medley to contact the Fraud Squad.