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JTV’s Cathy O. Richards handed 2-year suspended prison sentence

Popular JTV reporter Cathy O. Richards was today, Friday, January 16, 2026, handed a two-year suspended prison sentence in the High Court of the Virgin Islands, after being found guilty on July 15, 2025, of uttering forged documents. Photo: JTV/Facebook
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI - Popular JTV reporter Cathy O. Richards was today, Friday, January 16, 2026, handed a two-year suspended prison sentence in the High Court of the Virgin Islands, after being found guilty on July 15, 2025, of uttering forged documents.

The sentence was handed down by Justice Angelica Teelucksingh.

Richards, who was employed by Japhix Entertainment since 2016, was found guilty on a single count of uttering forged documents.

Production Assistant Hitesh Yadram, who was employed by Japhix Entertainment since 2008, was found not guilty on the two counts of uttering forged documents made against him.

Suspended sentence

A suspended sentence represents a legal outcome in criminal cases where a court imposes a punishment, such as a jail or prison term, but does not require its immediate execution. Instead, the serving of this sentence is deferred, often contingent upon the individual adhering to specific court-ordered conditions for a set period.

It is unclear at this time what conditions Justice Teelucksingh may have set out for Richards, who was represented by high-profile attorney Stephen R. Daniels.

See related article below:

Popular JTV reporter Cathy O. Richards found guilty of uttering forged documents

45 Responses to “JTV’s Cathy O. Richards handed 2-year suspended prison sentence”

  • heartbreaking (16/01/2026, 15:36) Like (13) Dislike (12) Reply
    heartbreaking—honestly, there’s nothing supportive about why this happens. The system is set up in a way that pushes people into trying to get ahead by any means, and unfortunately, when they’re caught, it only drags them down further. With good behavior, she’ll be out soon. I just wish there was more I personally could do.”
    • LOL (16/01/2026, 20:15) Like (9) Dislike (15) Reply
      You can give her a job...If you can trust someone who makes excuses for stealing. She ain't poor..she needs to suffer like all of us.
      • jail her (16/01/2026, 21:42) Like (10) Dislike (3) Reply
        rhen free the rest prisoner
      • LISTEN UP (17/01/2026, 15:37) Like (19) Dislike (2) Reply
        listen up people of the beautiful British Virgin Islands the sentence is suspended but take note that the laws of the bvi clearly states that once you are sentenced to three months or more served or unnerved here or in any other country and you're an expatriate you should not be working in the bvi.this is the law .the governor would sign the deportation order in due course. this has nothing to do with good journalists or good friend.
    • @heartbreaking (16/01/2026, 21:07) Like (13) Dislike (2) Reply
      Out soon from where? Fortunate for her she got a suspended sentence, which means that with good behavior she will stay out.
    • jack (16/01/2026, 21:36) Like (15) Dislike (0) Reply
      Reading is very fundamental
    • Suspended (17/01/2026, 02:11) Like (10) Dislike (1) Reply
      A 2-year suspended prison sentence means if she commits another crime within the 2 years, she can go to prison for this one. She will not be out soon because she is not going in right now....unless she already committed another crime once she stepped out the court that we don't know about.
    • @heartbreaking (17/01/2026, 07:45) Like (20) Dislike (0) Reply
      CAN'T YOU READ??!! SHE HAS GOTTEN A SUSPENDED SENTENCE!! WHICH MEANS SHE WAS NOT SENT TO PRISON.
    • Suspended sentence meaning (17/01/2026, 14:50) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
      Some of you need to go back to school. Suspending sentence means she out and free but if she mess up within the two (2)years she will serve her time IN the jail.
    • Peaches (17/01/2026, 22:26) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
      @heartbreaking. "She'll be out soon." Reading is fundamental. She got a SUSPENDED sentence. Meaning, she will not serve jail time.
  • Japhix (16/01/2026, 16:26) Like (3) Dislike (1) Reply
    Wow
  • Happy for you Cathy (16/01/2026, 16:30) Like (3) Dislike (26) Reply
    She innocent. When you successful she n the BVI they will mess with you
  • Have Mercy (16/01/2026, 16:36) Like (16) Dislike (3) Reply
    Such a great report/ journalist!!!
    How did you allow yourself to get there?
  • wellsaw (16/01/2026, 17:00) Like (45) Dislike (4) Reply
    what a corrupt place suspended sentence for such a serious crime
    • Go back Guyana (16/01/2026, 20:20) Like (14) Dislike (17) Reply
      Hmm trump should have bwen our leader
    • @ Well saw. She in Rotary.. (17/01/2026, 06:34) Like (19) Dislike (3) Reply
      She is a club member, any other person especially the poor, straight up Ballo.. This system is not balance, people up Ballo seeing this and they are pissed, angry frustrated...Think, jail only for them..Why?
      • GoinpeaceCathy (17/01/2026, 22:40) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
        Let her stay out and earn money, why burden the Govt with more bills to feed jail buds? Let her show remorse and behave herself.
    • HMMM (17/01/2026, 16:40) Like (4) Dislike (1) Reply
      Ikr... she need to do the time whats so special about her....
    • Was it (18/01/2026, 16:03) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
      Forging a government document?
  • FIRE (16/01/2026, 17:05) Like (8) Dislike (3) Reply
    I'm sure Cathy will report this.
    • Cindy (16/01/2026, 19:00) Like (16) Dislike (4) Reply
      You mean Cindy will report this! Best wishes Ms. Cathy! This is not your end. Learn and Grow
      • @cindy (17/01/2026, 07:49) Like (2) Dislike (22) Reply
        I'M PATIENTLY WAITING THE DAY WHEN CINDY WILL GET CHARGED WITH SCANDALIZING INNOCENT PEOPLES NAME ON M.BARRY AND G.BERRY MEDIA. SHE THINK SHE IS UNTOUCHABLE BECAUSE SHE HAVE THE BACKING OF THE FLAX SISTERS AND THOSE CORRUPT POLICE OFFICERS.
      • Trump (17/01/2026, 16:03) Like (5) Dislike (2) Reply
        Cindy is a BVIander
  • tola (16/01/2026, 18:06) Like (5) Dislike (1) Reply
    Smh
  • Anonymous (16/01/2026, 19:03) Like (12) Dislike (20) Reply
    Free Cathy free the drew
  • 2 years (16/01/2026, 19:27) Like (11) Dislike (10) Reply
    Pretty unfair to be honest. Especially if it was a first offense. Sad to hear about this verdict.
  • WOW (16/01/2026, 19:47) Like (32) Dislike (0) Reply
    When you are afforded the opportunity to live and work in another man country, you should follow the law.
  • Well Well (16/01/2026, 19:48) Like (9) Dislike (0) Reply
    Let’s see if Picko and Kishma will get off also.
  • smh (16/01/2026, 19:50) Like (16) Dislike (1) Reply
    I guess she got off for brown nosing. You can do that and get off wow. Was she given a find?
  • Deportation (16/01/2026, 20:36) Like (33) Dislike (3) Reply
    By way of the laws of the British Virgin Islands she should be deported she donthave to spend the prison sentence
  • BRAD BOYNES (17/01/2026, 08:25) Like (18) Dislike (3) Reply
    Request her deportation. You all know what document/s she was forging?Hmm. We play around with these people to much.
  • usa (17/01/2026, 10:38) Like (1) Dislike (15) Reply
    Bvi is in a dark place when journalists are locked up
    • Only If (18/01/2026, 17:13) Like (3) Dislike (1) Reply
      Only if they are locked up for factual and fair reporting. Forgery is a crime.
  • Yes (17/01/2026, 12:03) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    Only in the V.I
  • HMMM (17/01/2026, 14:42) Like (14) Dislike (0) Reply
    This is what she was caught on. What else has she done that was not caught? I like Cathy but this would have been a no no in any other country and grounds to revoke her work permit and any other legal rights to live and work in the BVI.
  • ice (17/01/2026, 15:54) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
    Deportation
  • frankly speaking (17/01/2026, 17:14) Like (5) Dislike (1) Reply
    She should be deported from the country. She would have committed a crime like all the others that have been deported. If it was a common person who was not popular and did not have any affiliation with the ‘Bigga’s’ in the various service clubs /organizations like her, they would have received a prison sentence and would have been escorted up to Balo, so why the preferential treatment here because it is her? This is a serious crime and the laws of the land must be applied without prejudice. The Governor needs to sign her deportation order now.
  • Lb (18/01/2026, 01:10) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Many many people have received suspended and non custodial sentences. This is not new.

    However, I believe according to our laws, she is supposed to be deported for being found guilty of any crime of ax sentence of 3 months or more. Her sentence far exceeds that.
  • de silent one (18/01/2026, 03:52) Like (1) Dislike (2) Reply
    She's been very fortunate to gotten such sentence, but bare in mind that she's not comopletely off the hook. She have to be at her best behaviour for two years, she cannot get into any criminal entanglement or else she spend that two years in prison. Its a fair outcome to a second chance
  • Yes (19/01/2026, 09:09) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    SO MAY OTHER PEOPLE GETTING AWAY WITH WORST-
    PEOPLE ON TRADE LICENCE AND WORKING SOMEWHERE ELSE, ISNT THAT ILLEGAL???
    THE SYSTEM IS BBBRRROOOKKKKEEENNNNN


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