By FARRAH JOHNSON
Tribune Staff Reporter
fjohnson@tribunemedia.net
TWO women who denied stealing more than $500,000 from the Atlantis tips committee were yesterday granted bail before their trial.
Cindy Martin and Monique Farquharson appeared before Magistrate Kendra Kelly charged with 26 stealing and fraud related offences, which they were accused of committing between 2018 and 2019.
Prosecutors alleged the woman stole $77,953.28 from the Scotiabank account of the Atlantis tips committee, which they had access to by reason of their employment, sometime between November 1 and 30 of 2018.
They further alleged the accused stole another $66,487.59 from the account in December 2018.
Martin and Farquharson are also accused of stealing the sums of $65,092.17; $55,046.43; $125,838.31 and $175,375.27 from the committee’s Scotiabank account on four other occasions in January, March and April of 2019.
The court was told that the women, acting in their capacities as executive members of the Atlantis tips committee, also made six false entries into the group’s bank account purporting to show that they were entitled to the funds they are accused of stealing.
Police alleged the pair also conspired to commit the offences of stealing by reason of employment and falsification of accounts between November 2018 and April 2019. They said Martin and Farquharson knowingly acquired thousands of dollars during that time frame, while knowing the funds they allegedly received represented the proceeds of crime.
Yesterday, the accused pleaded not guilty to 12 counts of money laundering, six counts each of stealing by reason of employment and falsification of accounts and two counts of conspiring to steal and make false entries.
After they denied the allegations, the prosecution told the magistrate that they would not object to bail. However, the Crown requested that the amount of the women’s bonds reflect the charges brought against them.
As a result, Magistrate Kelly granted Martin and Farquharson $200,000 bail each. The accused were also ordered to sign into their nearest police station weekly on or before 6pm.
They return to court in February 2022 for trial.
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