Denrick Thomas in trouble with law over bank error
It is alleged that Denrick Thomas stole over $16,000 after the money was erroneously deposited into his account at the CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank.
The court heard that on December 15, 2014 a salary deposit in the amount of $16,737.96 was erroneously placed into the account of the defendant.
The error is said to have gone undetected until February 9, 2016 by which time the defendant had allegedly used his ATM card to withdraw the funds, leaving behind just over $187.6.
The court heard that the defendant made withdrawals over the period on an almost daily basis.
On February 9, 2015 the Retail and Operations Manager of the bank, Odette Daley, had been informed of the money being taken off the account after a complaint from the client was received. The accused was then contacted and invited to the bank and informed of the discovery.
On February 10, 2015 the virtual complainant contacted the Road Town Police Station.
The defendant admitted to police to being the holder of the ATM card used to withdraw the funds and he also admitted to withdrawing the money.
The court heard that he has agreed with the bank to repay at the rate of $500 per month.
Lawyer for the defendant Stephen R. Daniels said his client being 21 at the time saw the money in his account and was overcome by youthful exuberance. Daniels noted also that it was Christmas time, hence the need to go shopping.
However, Magistrate Ayana Baptiste-DaBreo said the offences were serious and deserved a custodial sentence. She said due to the circumstances and other factors of this case she would suspend the sentence.
She then sentenced him to one year in jail suspended sentence which will be activated should Thomas run afoul of the law again.
“You didn't go to the bank and tell them that you saw this money and that you didn't put it there and that they should take it out. This court cannot send a message that this sort of behaviour is ok,” she said.
27 Responses to “Denrick Thomas in trouble with law over bank error”
Look how long it took the bank to realize they made a mistake. So basically he is going to jail not so much for fraud but for failing to highlight someone else's incompetence? If that's the case then the person who made the error should be fired too. Send the right message.
Had that money landed in a foreigners account they would have withdrawn that money and take off. They what would the bank have done?
It is a banking error, not fraud. It is up to the bank to pursue the guy for it lost monies no crime was committed except the stupidity of the complainant. The guy agreed to reimburse the bank at a rate which he can afford so where is the crime.
He should appeal and get a better lawyer!