Yvonne Josiah Cornwall of Potters, an employee in the Government’s Work Experience Programme charged with stealing over $100,000 from the government, was granted bail when she appeared in the St John’s Magistrates Court yesterday.
Cornwall was charged with one count of larceny by servant, two counts of money laundering, and 12 charges of obtaining money by false pretenses.
The court ordered Cornwall to post the $150,000 bail with $10,000 in cash, surrender her passport and report to the police every Monday and Thursday as part of her bail conditions.
The proceedings were then adjourned until October 2.
The case was as part of a high-level investigation into alleged fraud within the Work Experience Programme, with the Office of National Drug and Money Laundering Control Policy (ONDCP) spearheading the probe, reportedly involving over $300,000 found in Cornwall’s bank account.
Prosecutors representing the ONDCP informed the court that the matter was still under investigation as information reaching Observer was that more persons are being questioned as part of the probe.
The matter reportedly came to light after a former participant in the work experience programme, who had left the island for several months, attempted to obtain documents from a statutory corporation for new employment with the government.
It was discovered that statutory deductions were still being made in her name as well as several other former members who were no longer participating in the programme.
