Yuri on $200,000 bail for allegedly forging COVID-19 test result

Mere weeks after his wife was charged with forging a positive COVID-19 test result, Yuri Garcia-Dominguez was on Friday slapped with a similar charge following his arraignment before Magistrate Leron Daly at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. He pleaded not guilty.
The particulars of the charge stated that on July 27, at Georgetown, he conspired with his wife, Ateeka Ishmael, and others to forge a COVID-19 test result to show that he had tested positive. Like his spouse, Dominguez was also released on $200,000 bail. His case has been adjourned until November 5.
Dominguez and his wife are the principals of Accelerated Capital Firm Incorporated (ACFI), the company behind a major Ponzi scheme in which hundreds of Guyanese were fleeced of some $4 billion by reportedly trading on the international stock exchange. As it relates to the Ponzi scheme, they are facing 100-plus charges for obtaining monies by false pretence, and are out on over $30 million bail.

In July, the Guyana Police Force moved to institute 60 new fraud charges against the couple. However, the day before the duo was scheduled to appear in court, their lawyer sent two medical certificates to the Police Officer in charge of the investigations indicating that his clients had tested positive for COVID-19. The Police officer became suspicious as to the authenticity of the documents.
As such, the rank caused an investigation to be launched which revealed that, in an effort to elude the court, the couple conspired to forge positive COVID-19 tests.
Sometime last year, ACFI ceased all operations in Guyana after authorities discovered that it was operating without a licence from the Guyana Securities Council. The Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Act Cap 10:11 prohibits businesses from operating as financial institutions without the necessary registration for regulation and supervision by the regulatory authorities.
On October 12, 2020, the couple began reimbursing persons who had invested in their company. However, the refunds came to an unexpected halt a few days later after ranks from the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) raided their home at Coldingen, East Coast Demerara, and seized several pieces of equipment the couple claimed were vital in processing the refund transactions.
They had disclosed that their company’s mode of business is trading on the international stock exchange. According to them, the company trades with international brokers such as IQ Options and FX Choice. They had explained that the mode and operation of the company are that investing parties, having entered into a legally binding contract with ACFI, are permitted to invest a certain amount of capital.
They had said that either the investing party or ACFI can then deposit same with brokers such as IQ Options and FX Choice which would then be traded on the international market. They had also said that the investing party subsequently receives 40 per cent to 50 per cent on their investment based on the invested amount and the terms of the contract.  (G1)