Woman pleads guilty to multiple charges in fraud case
KINGSTON, Jamaica — A young woman is awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to several charges in a case brought by the Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency (MOCA).
Briana Smikle pleaded guilty in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court on Tuesday to several counts of receiving stolen property and engaging in transactions involving stolen property after attorneys from MOCA alleged that she had received money on different occasions that she knew or ought to have known was criminal property.
In one instance, in June 2022, she received $1.3 million to accounts in her name in two separate transactions. Similar transactions were carried out in 2023 with amounts reaching $400,000 and $500,000 on separate occasions.
She is also accused of making in-branch withdrawals and disseminating the cash, as well as forwarding the cash to third parties electronically.
She pleaded guilty to all the charges and had her bail extended with reporting conditions lowered from daily to thrice weekly.
Smikle was called before the court as part of a larger group of at least 14 people that MOCA attorneys say are facing fraud charges.
She has indicated a willingness to make restitution and is to return to court for sentencing on October 26.