THE Financial Investigations Division (FID) is warning fraudsters intent on using modern technology to embezzle that they will be caught and prosecuted as digital footprints are not invisible.

The law enforcement agency issued the caution on Friday in disclosing that a customs broker has been imprisoned for his role in a multimillion-dollar credit card fraud operation targeting the Government’s customs revenue system.

According to the FID, 44-year-old Nathiel Graham was sentenced in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court on Friday, July 11, 2025 — almost three years after he was arrested following a joint investigation by the FID and Jamaica Customs Agency (JCA).

The FID, in a news release, said Graham was arrested on November 28, 2022 and charged for offences under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA).

“While in custody, on July 4, 2023 he was charged for unrelated but similar offences,” the FID said.

“On September 19, 2024 Graham pleaded guilty to several financial crimes, including:

• Engaging in a transaction involving criminal property, six counts;

• Fraudulent conversion, eight counts; and

• Obtaining money by means of false pretence, four counts.

“The charges stemmed from a report made by the JCA to the FID concerning suspicious activities on its e-payment platform, used for the payment of customs duties on imported motor vehicles and goods,” the FID said.

“Graham was found to have fraudulently used credit card information from five individuals to make payments totalling $12,054,933.35. These unauthorised transactions triggered chargebacks from financial institutions, resulting in significant financial losses to the State and undermining the integrity of an important source of national revenue — the importation of goods,” FID added.

At his sentencing Graham received two years for engaging in a transaction involving criminal property; three years for fraudulent conversion; and two years for obtaining money by means of false pretence.

The sentences are to run concurrently, which means that Graham, who has been in custody since his arrest, will be released in November 2025.

Commenting on the outcome, Courtney Smith, the FID’s senior director of legal services, said: “This case illustrates how fraudsters attempt to exploit government systems to their own advantage, robbing the country of vital revenue streams in the process. But it also demonstrates what can be achieved through strong institutional collaboration.

“The joint investigation between the FID and the JCA’s internal investigative unit was instrumental in identifying and dismantling the scheme. Our partnership was critical in ensuring that justice was served. To those who believe digital footprints are invisible — think again. We will find you.”

The FID said it is urging all entities that offer digital services to routinely review their systems for vulnerabilities and report irregularities swiftly.

“As Jamaica continues to modernise its public services, strong safeguards and responsive enforcement remain key to protecting institutions and the public purse,” the FID said.