A former Hadeed Motors employee has been convicted in a fraud scheme that involved falsifying company records, removing an SUV from the dealership, and later selling it for tens of thousands of dollars.
Dylan Simon, who worked at the company for more than two decades, was found guilty by Justice Stanley John on six charges, including electronic forgery, larceny by a clerk, obtaining money by false pretences and money laundering. He was taken into custody and is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 11.
Investigators said the case centred on a 2020 incident in which Simon entered bogus information into the dealership’s system to show that a Suzuki Vitara had been purchased with a cheque that never existed. That entry allowed him to produce documents used to move the vehicle off the lot, and he later collected a $600 commission as if a legitimate sale had occurred.
The SUV was sold about six months later to a used-car dealer for $55,000. Prosecutors said Simon received a vehicle valued at $22,000 and $23,000 in cash as part of the transaction.
The fraud unraveled after the company reopened from the COVID-19 shutdown and an audit revealed irregularities, including altered cheque numbers and missing payments linked to transactions Simon handled. He resigned after failing to explain the discrepancies and then attempted to transfer ownership of the stolen SUV at the Transport Board the following day.
Simon argued that others had access to his computer and claimed the transaction was paid for in cash, but his explanations were dismissed. An auditor called by the defence concluded that Simon had manipulated the records and exploited weak internal controls.
The conviction is his second in as many years; he was fined $100,000 in 2023 for unrelated electronic forgery at the same dealership.
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Brought before the court for fraud involving one vehicle, found guilty and will be sentence, wow. The actors in the vehicle gate scandal might never see the inside of a courtroom for fraud amounting to over $15 million, something no right yah. The former head of customs is a lucky man…. Maybe the courts can’t handle multi million dollars fraud matters. AWDRYT
He needs some jail time to cure him of his persistent fraud tendencies. I would say 3 years.
We get the details of one (private) nongovernmental vehicle fraud transaction but nothing about $25 million worth of vehicle.
Evidence of a corrupt ABLP, this guy allegedly committed motor-vehicle theft. He was convicted. $15 million motor vehicle theft occurred and by government officials (allegedly), which makes this worse (aggravated) and not even the minimum of a criminal investigation is being done? If anybody in Antigua and Barbuda vote for ABLP, well this particular ABLP, ever again, you deserve all the horrible and worse to come. I am not saying to vote for UPP, all I am saying this ABLP and the ABLP hierarchy should NEVER be voted for.
Theft of over $15 million, and not even a criminal investigation? Come on public, you genuinely deserve better, please begin to believe you do.
I concur with all the comments before mine, except for maybe the 3-year jail sentence. The big defining factor here is that one case is a private corporation matter, and the other is a Government matter in which OUR dollars are being squandered.
Some men will go to jail for vehicle scandal and others in higher positions gets transferred to a new department…Whistles
seems as if Hadeed trusted this dude way too mcunruthina
lost so many years of service and seems like he is going to jail for the rest of his life greed what a waste
wow. This reads like a crime and Investigation episode
That’s the problem with these company’s! They place people on a level of trust and then those same ones make it hard for another person! Now new rules will be set in place and half the enjoyment will be over! Atleast Hadeed get the sweeter end of the stick
And how much millions will the government be giving back to the taxpayers? The bigger thief supporters are always pointing fingers on the small theives? Can you show proof of the millions hadeed stole? I know theres a lot of proof of all the government has stolen from the treasury. Let’s tango and see how it goes.
hadeed should extend the same courtesy that Gaston brown gave to them.
just let the guy pay the money back….
this just goes to show you how corrupt this little country really s..
the small man has to do the time for similar crimes that our pm allowed has boss to walk free on…
what a country….
Tough blow for the company, but good to see the matter handled properly through the courts
WHAT THE HELL…! ..MULTIPLICITY OF INDICTMENTS: …ACCUSED TO REQUEST SENTENCING JUDGE TO ‘…TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION (TIC) ALL PENDING SIMILAR COUNTS:
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TO DEFENCE ATTORNEYS: ..ADVICE TO ACCUSED
Where there has been ‘…MULTIPLE INDICTMENTS OF THE SIMILAR COUNTS:’ a
(i) ‘…CONVICTED ACCUSED: may
(ii) …FORMALLY APPLY TO THE COURT: to
(iii) …HAVE THE DOCKET CLEARED OF ALL PENDING CASES.’
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CONDITIONAL:
This is ‘…CONDITIONAL UPON THE ACCUSED PLEADING GUILTY’ to the ‘…PENDING COUNTS.’
***
WHY…?
The ‘…SENTENCE’ imposed when other COUNTS ARE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION: cannot
(a) ‘…BE GREATER OR MORE SEVERE THAN CAN BE IMPOSED FOR THE CRIME CHARGED.’
***
CITED AUTHORITIES: …CASE LAWS
‘…R v VALLETT: 1951
‘In this Case, the ‘Criminal Court of Appeal (CCA), impliedly recognized the power of Courts in dealing with ‘…Outstanding Charges’ which they have jurisdicton to try, by taking them into account when ‘…PASSING SENTENCE.’
***
‘…R v BATCHELOR-1952
The ‘…TAKING OF OFFENCES INTO ACCOUNT,’ is a ‘…CONVENTION,’ and not ‘STATUTORY.’
***
CONDITIONALLY:
(i) ‘…PROSECUTOR MUST CONSENT:
(ii) …ACCUSED MUST ADMIT GUILT: and
(iii) …THE COURT CONSIDERS PROPER TO DO SO.’
***
WHAT THE HELL…!
Appearing before the ‘Court’ on another: ‘…5-INDICTMENTS: and another 5-COUNTS: and another ‘5-COUNTS,’ could result in two things:
(i) ‘…SENTENCES RUN ‘…CONSECUTIVELY: and
(ii) …THOUGH NOT NECESSARILY AS LENGTHY AS ‘…ALLEN STANFORD: but
(iii) …A DARN LONG TIME INCARCERATED:
***
COULD STILL HEAR FOOTBALL FANS AT ‘…ARG.’
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NOW
INSTRUCT THE DARN LAWYER.
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WHEREVER, SLEEP TIGHT.
***