February 26, 2021

Man Charged With Presenting Fraudulent $4.8M Government Cheque

By Newsroom

A director at a construction company charged with attempting to defraud the government of $4.8 million was granted bail when he appeared before a Justice of the Peace to answer to the crime.

Terrance Hypolite, 63, of Edinburgh 500 in Chaguanas, is accused of submitting a fraudulent cheque and forged document in an attempt to access the funds which he purported was owed to his construction company.

He also provided copies of award of contract letters purportedly issued by a special purpose State company to his construction company to undertake infrastructural works at a port project in Toco, which was due to start on March 25th 2021.

The cheque was accepted as genuine by the bank and the proceeds credited ‘on hold’ to the company’s business account subject to verification and processing by the Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago.

The Central Bank flagged the cheque as false, and a report was made to the Fraud Squad of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service, leading to Hypolite’s arrest on Wednesday.

The accused was granted bail in the sum of $150,000 and ordered to reappear in court on the 25th of next month.

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