MONTEGO BAY, St James — The details of a more than $17-million fraud at Human Employment and Resources Training/National Services Training Agency Trust (HEART/NSTA) were outlined in the St James Parish Court Wednesday as the defence attorney successfully argued for his clients to be granted bail.

Twenty-eight-year-old former participant in a HEART/NSTA Trust programme Kevina Atkins and former HEART/NSTA Trust employee Simoes Ellis are before the court in relation to more than $4 million of the missing millions.

“This matter involves monies where the HEART/NSTA was defrauded of approximately $4,961,500 and this sum is what they are saying Mr Ellis and Ms Atkins would be responsible for. Other monies were defrauded from the entity,” the clerk of court stated.

Allegations are that the fraud was linked to the Youth Employment in Digital and Animation Industries (YEDAI) Project.

“It is further alleged that between December 2018 and April 2019, anomalies were seen in respect of stipends that were paid to [fictitious] names in this programme,” the clerk told the court.

She added that Ellis was responsible for preparing the list of participants entitled to stipends and sending this information to the HEART/NSTA head office where the necessary information would be sent to the bank for payments to be discussed.

However, the National Commercial Bank (NCB) noticed that multiple funds were sent to one particular account. This caused the bank to become suspicious and make contact with personnel at HEART.

Checks were made and it was noticed that funds were sent to a certain set of participants in a list prepared by Ellis.

The report generated also showed that funds were sent to Atkins’s account.

Last Friday MOCA indicated that at about 5:00 am that day its teams, backed by members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force, swarmed two properties in search of a number of people suspected to be involved in the fraud under investigation.

Ellis was found and held in Portmore while two other suspects were accosted at their home in Montego Bay. A search of their respective premises turned up a number of evidential items which were subsequently seized.

On Wednesday defence attorney Henry McCurdy successfully argued for his clients to be granted bail, pointing to their roles as parents.

“I ask that you use your good judgment in granting bail for the baby’s sake. The baby is sick,” he told presiding judge Natiesha Fairclough Hylton as he addressed the issue of Atkins’ bail.

He argued that babies have a special connection with their mothers. It was noted in court that a four-month-old toddler being referenced is one of her two children.

Atkins is charged with receiving stolen property, possession of criminal property, and conspiracy to defraud.

Ellis, who is from Gregory Park, is charged with larceny as a servant, possession of criminal property, and conspiracy. A third person, said to be a family member of one of those charged, was taken into custody but was not charged.

In arguing for Ellis to be granted bail, McCurdy pointed out that he is the father of two who does not have a passport.

Following submissions made by the defence with no objections from the Crown, the two accused were granted bail and are to return to court on February 12, 2025 for case management.

Outstanding documents, including the arresting officer’s statement and two witness statements, are expected to be in place by then.

Atkins was given bail in the sum of $600,000 with one to three sureties. She was also ordered to surrender all travel documents and her fingerprint taken. A stop order was placed at all ports of entry.

Ellis was offered bail in the sum of $1 million with one to three sureties. A stop order was placed at all ports of entry, travel documents were surrendered and fingerprints were taken.