By Tahna Weston
The Office of National Drug Control and Money Laundering Policy (ONDCP) has launched an investigation into an alleged fraud involving a female employee attached to the Government’s Work Experience Programme or Job Programme.
Information reaching Observer yesterday said that the probe is in relation to over $300,000 which is alleged to have been found on the bank account of the woman, who was taken into custody on Saturday.
Reports are that officers attached to the ONDCP detained the woman and she was taken to St John’s Police Station.
Sources say that the matter came to light after a former worker tried to obtain certain documents from a statutory corporation, as she was seeking to get employment with the Central Government.
Allegations are that the worker was being paid through the job programme, but left and travelled overseas.
However, she returned to the island after several months and as she was trying to sort herself out in her quest to be employed by the government, she had to procure certain documents, including from the statutory corporations.
It is alleged that it was after trying to get the documents and checks being made that it was discovered that she was still paying statutory deductions, even though she was not employed with the Job Programme anymore.
The woman queried it and was told that the last payment was made a week prior to her making a request for the document.
Reports are that law enforcers were notified of the situation and investigations led to the probe subsequent detention of the employee.
It is alleged that the contributions of several former employees were still being sent to the respective statutory corporations; however, they (the former employees) were not being paid anymore through the Work Experience Programme.
Sources say that the woman has been unable to explain how that large sum of money ended up on her account.
The source tells the Observer that a list has been compiled of other workers at the department who are expected to be questioned as investigations into the matter continue.
