Popular JTV reporter Cathy O. Richards found guilty 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.
However, Senior Reporter Cathy O. Richards, who was employed by Japhix Entertainment since 2016, was found guilty on her single count of uttering forged documents.
She is to be sentenced on September 26, 2025, and remains on bail.
Richards is a popular television personality in the Virgin Islands due to her wide range of reporting and timeliness, and was days ago the recipient of a Virgin Islands Icon Award for her work in the media.
The charges against Richards and Yadram stemmed from the renewal of work permit applications that were submitted to the Department of Labour and Workforce Development in 2021.
The work permit applications were made during the 2020-2021 COVID-19 period when it became a requirement for applicants for work permit renewals [to] provide three Certificates of Good Standings – one each from the National Health Insurance (NHI), Social Security Board (SSB) and Inland Revenue Department (IRD).
Richards maintains innocence
According to court documents, Richards on June 7, 2021, “knowingly, and with intent to deceive or defraud the Department of Labour and Workforce Development, uttered a forged document purporting to be a Certificate of Earnings issued by the Social Security Board.
The trial started on June 17, 2025, before Justice Angelica Teelucksingh and prosecuted by Principal Crown Counsel Tracy Vidale.
Ms Richards has always maintained her innocence and has argued that at the time of submitting her application to the Department of Workforce Development, she did not know that the Certificate of Earnings and Good Standing were forged.
During the trial, she said she only looked at the spelling of her name, which is often misspelt.
She said it was only after it was brought to her attention by the Department of Labour and Workforce Development that she noticed the year of the Social Security card was dated 2006, when in fact she came to the Virgin Islands in 2012.
Richards said the document had her gross earnings thousands of dollars more than she actually earns, and that the word ‘Certificate’ was spelt incorrectly, among other things.
Reports reaching our News Centre are that an appeal is likely.
Efforts to get a comment from Ms Richards were futile.
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38 Responses to “Popular JTV reporter Cathy O. Richards found guilty of uttering forged documents”
Labor department don't ask for social security card just the number, plus if she didn't know it was forged then state where you get it from, plus they does give a receipt when you pay for the certificates so did she had the receipts to show. Did SSB clarify whether they issued the documents or not?
You all maybe some are even her friends and supporters rather come on here and slaughter her here because you can be anonymous.
she not the only one with a dusty closet that go awards...yall stay there
might as well send andrew he award to "The one that almost got away"
Journalist doing their job does not warrant prosecution for errors on paper work application.
If errors can lead to this then the ones committed by government must be prosecuted.