Trinidadian fined, deported for hotel scam

Convicted fraudster Anthony Nester
Convicted fraudster Anthony Nester

A Trinidadian fraudster was on Friday fined and deported after he was found guilty of incurring debt by false pretence.

Anthony Nester was found guilty by Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

The 28-year-old man defrauded Brandsville Hotel at Cambellville, Georgetown, by incurring a debt of $260,824 between April 1 and 15, 2016, under the pretence that he had a valid credit card to pay for his expenses.

Presiding Magistrate Latchman ordered Nester to pay the money he owes to the hotel in addition to a fine of $100,000, or serve a default jail term of 36 months.The Magistrate in her ruling ordered that Nester be deported to his country of origin, either after repaying his debts to the hotel or after serving his sentence.Several witnesses, inclusive of the manager of Brandsville Hotel, were called by the prosecution to give evidence during the trial.

Nestor had initially claimed that he is Guyanese; however, investigators revealed that he was lying. On another occasion, between August 15 and 18, 2016, he again incurred a debt of $66,898 at Opus Hotel where he presented a false credit card belonging to Wilfred Brandford.The court, upon his appearance in November 2016 for that charge, had refused Nestor bail on the grounds that he was a foreigner, hence a flight risk.Legal representation for Nester, Attorney James Bond, had stated that his client is the owner of the soon to be launched “School of Etiquette.” The accused appeared unrepresented at Friday’s hearing when the Magistrate handed down her ruling. When questioned if he had other matters in his home country, he denied such; however, after the question was repeated to him, the accused admitted his involvement in vehicle matters, relating that the matter is being dealt with by his lawyers in his home country.