Filipino allegedly stole $$ from employer to fund investments back home
Sofia faces three charges: theft, false accounting, and concealing and transferring proceeds of a criminal nature since the amount of $24,499.63 was allegedly removed from the territory in a criminal conduct.
It was stated in court that the accused allegedly fleeced some $675 daily on average. It was alleged also that Sofia had confessed to police about committing the crime.
This is according to Senior Crown Counsel Mr Garcia Kirt Kelly in presenting the allegations to the court. Kelly told the court that it was the Managing Director of the company, Ms Nelda Farrington, whose vigilance led to an investigation and subsequent arrest of the man.
Sofia was the Island Services Accountant, as he was so certified, and was subject to carrying out the task of an accountant based on certain procedures. The court heard that in May, Ms Farrington discovered that the accused was not carrying out the procedures of the accounting system of the company which prompted her to get assistance of others in checking the business handled by the accused.
It was allegedly discovered that Mr Sofia was not reporting and recording accurately the proceeds of each day but was in fact fleecing money under the cover that items were being returned by customers.
Sofia was on vacation in his home country while the investigations were being done at Island Services and it was on his return to the Virgin Islands (VI) on July 1, 2015 that he was told of the allegations against him and arrested.
According to Kelly, the accused denied the allegations against him, however, the following day July 2, 2015 he returned to the Road Town Police Station on his own volition and allegedly confessed to having done the crime as alleged.
The Senior Crown Counsel told the court that Sofia allegedly told investigating officers that he lied the previous day because he didn’t know what to do at the time.
Big investments back home
According to the allegations, Sofia told the investigating officers in detail what he did with the money. He allegedly informed them that he had bought a farm and residential lots and private properties by mortgage in his home country and stole the money to keep up with the payments for them.
In addition, he allegedly he used some of the money to expand a jewellery business he owns. According to Kelly, at the end of it all Sofia said he apologised to his employers.
There was nothing else known about Sofia by police, according to the prosecution.
The accused was represented by popular criminal lawyer Mr Stephen R. Daniels who told the court that he was not going to apply for bail for his client at the time as he had no knowledge of him having anyone who would have been signing as surety on his behalf.
Sofia was remanded to prison and is to return to court on July 24, 2015 when it is expected that the Crown would have been outfitted with certain other documents that they hadn’t at their disposal in court yesterday.
The matter was heard by Senior Magistrate Tamia N. Richards who informed the accused that he was not required to say if he was guilty or not before her as the matter was one too big for her court and would have to be tried in the High Court.
She had to speak as loudly as she possibly could since the man claimed he had a hearing impairment.
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38 Responses to “Filipino allegedly stole $$ from employer to fund investments back home”
Make he pay back every cent if guilty. We keep bringing these people here and giving them jobs over our own people. This is the reason we have such unemployment here. All of a sudden the place full up with them, like they alone know how to work. There are some honest ones, but how many of them up 1-Mart as cashiers were caught passing things without their fellow Filipino paying? We got to stop being fooled by all that appear "light" "bright" and just not right.
When we catch ourselves 25 years from now, they will be the majority, coupled with the other islanders who will "vote the Virgin Islander Out." Take warning, Virgin Islander. All so called cheap gain will lead to your children's children ultimate loss.
@ Bow; you forget to mention when the expats take our money then run back home the matter is over; this business is allegedly out 25k in 15 days while Mr might do a few days in our jail then deported if guilty...local or expats should do the right thing
@ home on the range: I trust our leaders seen your blog; well said: we just a few hundred of our children graduating from high school: we have far to many permit holders doing simple jobs that our people should be doing.....lots more companies will feel the Filipino heat; the others probably smarter he allegedly went for the whole hog to fast, 25K in 1 month X 12 months(WOW)
Look at all them have and still here milkin the country
Deport he r@$$
They have these people to be GOD-sent but who laughing now ?
Too many sticky hands in this place. Locals, down islanders and further abroad,..... My grandma does say don't envy a man for what he got for you don't know how he come by it.
I saw this guy in many places, he was not in a need to steal nothing. Philipinos, are having hell in their own places, and they be giving the oportunity to work and get pay to help his family abroad, but SOFIA, this will make all good Philipinos in the BVI be in shame because of your alleged ACT... GO HOME and THINK WELL the DAMAGE that your alleged GREEDINESS has create.
I feel really good being served by them, but at the end of the day in these hard times especially when they getting pay next to nothing you may never tell what they or anyone else would do to survive. And i also think Tortola is getting a bit over populated with too much expatriates. That guy could have simply call Manny Paquiao to wire him some money fast.
Y'all act like every single local is free from doing such crime. I don't think so.
Who are we to judge? Leave it to the court.
laugh at you behind your backs because they getting what they came for. Virgin Islanders wise up do not be foolish.
Every thing that glitters is not gold and every hug,smile, kiss and bow you get is costing you.
SVG steal
Guyanese steal
St. Kitt steal
Trini steal.
Greneda steal.
Locals steal.
Americans steal.
British steal.
May the one who is not the sinner cast the first stone! Hypocrites all here in blog!