Cuban national Yuri Garcia-Dominguez and his wife, Ateeka Ishmael, being escorted by Police
As the probe widens into their alleged Ponzi scheme, the suspected masterminds Cuban national Yuri Garcia-Dominguez and his Guyanese wife, Ateeka Ishmael, were on Monday arraigned on 14 new charges, bringing the total number of charges to 55.
The couple appeared virtually before Magistrate Fabayo Azore at the Vigilance Magistrate’s Court, where the new charges were read to them.
The charges detailed that between May 2020 and July 2020, with intent to commit a felony, the couple conspired with persons, known and unknown, to obtain a total sum of over $9 million from 14 victims under false pretence.
The couple were represented by Attorneys-at-Law Glen Hanoman and Dexter Todd. They were granted $800,000 bail each. They will make their next court appearance on November 2, 2020.
Last week, the couple appeared before Magistrate Azore via Skype at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court and were granted $3.6 million bail each after being slapped with 12 charges.
Police stated that between May 2020 and July 2020, with intent to commit a felony, the couple conspired with persons, known and unknown, to obtain a total sum of over $30 million from the 12 victims under false pretence.
They will make their next court appearance on September 21.
The couple were previously slapped with 10 charges, which alleged that between May 2020 and July 2020, with intent to commit a felony, they conspired with persons, known and unknown, to obtain a total sum of over $60 million from 10 persons under false pretence. They were granted bail in the sum of $1 million each and were ordered to return to court on October 5, 2020.
Previously, they faced a total of 19 charges, which were read to them in two separate courts. In this matter, the Police stated that they collected $25.7 million from 13 persons. They were granted $3.9 million bail each. (G1)
