Court hears - Attorney swindles millions from Mavado

Top Jamaican entertainer Mavado was allegedly defrauded of more than J$30 million by prominent attorney Jennifer Messado, a clerk of court revealed yesterday.

The disclosure was made in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court as Messado faced fresh fraud related charges linked to the sale of several properties in St Andrew.

Messado's attorney Christopher Townsend also revealed that she was arrested on Tuesday on more fraud-related offences and is to appear in court tomorrow in relation to those charges.

Messado was lead into court in handcuffs. She said nothing during the hearing, sitting with her hand at her jaw throughout.

Clerk of court Hansurd Lawson strongly opposed bail, claiming that, among other things, that Messado had been in contact with one of the complainants in the case and has been moving around money in her bank account related to other complainants.

PREVIOUSCASE

Despite this, Messado was granted bail by parish judge Vaughn Smith in the amount of $5 million with the same conditions as her two previous cases.

Lawson, in outlining the most recent allegations against Messado, said Mavado told the police that in April 2017 he was introduced to a property in the Kingston area.

He said the entertainer, whose given name is David Brooks, began making arrangements to purchase the property through his attorney, Tamika Harris.

According to Lawson, Mavado later paid Messado $30.7 million for the property and signed a sale agreement and a document giving him possession.

However, he said it was later discovered that the property was not for sale.

"The owner of the property said he does not know who Miss Messado is and never gave her permission to sell his property," Lawson told the court.

He acknowledged that the entertainer has been reimbursed $7 million so far.

The other complainants in the case for which Messado appeared in court yesterday are St Andrew businessman Norman Horne and his sister, Charlotte.

Horne, according to Lawson, was allegedly defrauded of $28 million he paid Messado for a property located on Argyle Road in St Andrew.

It was later discovered that the property is owned by the Sports Development Foundation and is not for sale.