FID warns Jamaicans against using bank accounts for criminal activities

The Financial Investigations Division (FID) on Monday issued a warning to Jamaicans about the dangers of allowing their bank accounts to be used for criminal activities, following the arrest and charging of three men involved in a multi-million-dollar bank fraud and money laundering operation.

“Fraudsters and money launderers rely on established accounts to move illicit funds at scale. The use of money mule accounts helps to conceal key players in criminal networks. The public is urged to exercise proper due diligence when accepting deposits on behalf of others, particularly when it involves sharing debit cards or PINs,” said Dennis Chung, FID chief technical director.

Chung also noted, “The Proceeds of Crime Act defines criminal property as property obtained through criminal conduct and criminalises all handling of such property. If you possess, transfer, or facilitate the retention of criminal property, you will be charged.”

The FID reported that Ashanti Johnson, 24, Kevin Bentley, 37, and David Brevett, 54, were arrested and charged under the Proceeds of Crime Act, the Larceny Act, and the Cyber Crimes Act following coordinated operations between March 17 and 19 across Kingston, St Andrew, and Clarendon. The operations were carried out by the FID in collaboration with the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s Specialised Investigations Branch and personnel from the St Andrew South and St Andrew North police divisions.

The three men, who were offered bail, are scheduled to appear in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court on April 10. According to the FID, they participated in a criminal scheme involving unauthorised access to bank accounts and the transfer of funds into accounts maintained by the suspects.

The FID said this case reflects a common pattern in financial crime, where proceeds obtained through fraud are quickly funnelled through seemingly legitimate personal or business accounts to disguise their origin, frustrate investigators, and distance the main perpetrators from the stolen funds.

The division emphasized a vulnerability in the banking and wider financial sector, where criminals exploit established customer accounts, digital banking channels, and the appearance of ordinary transactions to move illicit proceeds into the formal financial system. Once deposited, the funds may be withdrawn, transferred onward, split across multiple accounts, or used in other transactions to obscure the money trail.

Often, the account holder is either a willing participant or someone who has been manipulated, recruited, or deceived into acting as a money mule, the FID said.

The division is especially urging young professionals, job seekers, and unemployed people to exercise caution, warning that criminal networks frequently target individuals with promises of easy money, part-time “payment processing” work, or requests to “help move funds” using personal bank accounts. What may appear to be a harmless favour or quick financial opportunity can make someone a key link in a fraud or money laundering chain.