Sentencing of NCB wealth advisor for stealing $74.5 million pushed back

Former National Commercial Bank (NCB) wealth advisor, Khadene Thomas, who defrauded the financial institution of $74.5 million, is to know on June 27 whether the court will yield to her pleas for forgiveness and hand her a suspended sentence.

The sentencing for the 35-year-old St Ann resident, who previously pleaded guilty to 31 counts of uttering forged documents and three counts of larceny as a servant in the St Ann Parish Court, was scheduled for today but was postponed. Thomas’ bail was extended.

Justice Larone Montaque pushed back the sentencing date to facilitate restitution. This after the court was informed that Thomas has US$100,000 to pay over to the bank and plans to pay the remainder.

Attorney-at-law Matthew Hyatt during his plea-in-mitigation pointed out that his client pleaded guilty at the first reasonable opportunity and is entitled to up to 50 per cent discount and further that she took responsibility for her action and did not waste the court's time.

He also asked that the negative impact of the charges against his client, such as the revocation of her United States visa, loss of her job and her inability to return to the banking sector as well as the suspension of her role as a justice of peace be taken into account.

Hyatt also begged the judge to consider forgiveness for his client’s transgression while pointing out that two of her community members have begged for leniency and that two of the victims have refrained from saying anything negative about her in the social enquiry report.

The prosecution contends that Thomas transferred the sums from the accounts of three customers between May 21, 2019, and December 20, 2022.

From the first complainant, she stole US$256,291.83 and J$9.5 million between May 2019 and December 2022.

In the second case, she stole US$37,680 and J$570,302 between June 24, 2021 and December 15, 2022.

With respect to the third complainant, Thomas stole US$113,500 between January 13, 2020, and October 12, 2022.

Thomas was arrested last year January after the transfer of at least $5 million from a customer's account sparked an investigation.

In the meantime, the Financial Investigations Division has ordered an investigation into her finances and assets.

- Tanesha Mundle

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