Local trustee stole $437K

| 22/01/2014

(CNS): A 46-year-old local woman employed by Bodden Corporate Services Ltd has admitted stealing US$437,300 from a client of the law firm when she was a trustee of an offshore entity. Between September 2008 and August 2011 when she lost her job, Patricia Glasgow pilferedcash from a trust in 74 separate fraudulent transactions where she forged another trustee's signature. However, despite the theft of almost half million dollars over three years, the court heard that Glasgow was still not able to make ends meet and was defaulting on her mortgage. As a result, she had received $10,000 in 2012 from the UDP government’s Save the Mortgage Fund created with funds from the Dart-NRA deal.

During a sentencing hearing on Tuesday afternoon Justice Charles Quin was told that Glasgow’s theft came to light when she was made redundant by her employers and the client who had established the trust died. Investigations quickly led directly to Glasgow, who was arrested in June 2012.

When interviewed by the police, she said she was being blackmailed by a Jamaican person by the name of Samuel Parsons, who had explicit pictures of her that he had threatened to expose unless she paid him money. Glasgow claimed that she had asked the client who owned the trust for a loan and she had been given permission to borrow “as much money” from it as she needed.

However, there was no documentation to prove the loan and Glasgow had forged another trustee’s signature on each occasion that she took money over the three year period of the offending. The police could get no details on the alleged blackmailer and although Glasgow told the financial crime officers she had always intended to pay the money back, she had not kept a record of the amounts she had taken.

As the investigation progressed, while police could find no evidence of the blackmail or the alleged blackmailer, as Glasgow said he had stopped blackmailing her because he had returned to Jamaica, the crown had no evidence as to what Glasgow had done with the money. Once charged in November 2011 with the theft, Glasgow at first pleaded not guilty and was due to be tried later this year. However, in November last year she changed her plea to guilty.

In Tuesday’s sentencing hearing the prosecuting counsel asked the judge to make a compensation order against Glasgow for the entire sum. Although Glasgow claims she has no money, the crown revealed that during the course of the proceedings against her she sold her house to her brother for $220,000 but made no attempt to use the proceeds to pay back any of the stolen cash. The crown stated that this also reflected the lack of remorse shown by Glasgow over the theft.

The prosecutor said Glasgow paid off the $113,000 mortgage on the home and the $10,000 Save the Mortgage grant to government but the remaining cash was also given to her brother for various loans and expenses and what the court heard was monthly maintenance for her son, who is 20 years old and works at a bank.

During the presentation of the case to the judge for sentencing, few mitigating factors were identified. The breach oftrust, period of offending, the fraud, damage to her employers, as well as her work colleague whose signature she had forged, in addition to the loss suffered by the trust were highlighted as aggravating circumstances in the case. The damage to the reputation of Cayman when employees of corporate service companies are stealing their client’s money was also significant, the crown claimed.

Defence counsel Ben Tonner struggled to present mitigating factors on behalf of his client but noted that she was of previously good character. He denied that Glasgow had stolen the money out of greed and indicated she had not lived an extravagant lifestyle but had financial difficulties living in an expensive island as a single parent, which was compounded by the blackmail.

He admitted that the sale of the house during the proceedings was an “unsavoury situation” but he urged the court not to impose a compensation order as he said it would amount to a double sentence. Whatever the reasons, he said, his client did not have the money anymore and the crown had produced no evidence that she still had any of the stolen money or the proceeds from the house.

Tonner pointed out that his client knew very well that she would be going to jail. But then when she was released she would be facing a financial order that would be impossible for her to meet and therefore the courts would be setting her up to fail and she would be returned to jail over the same crime.

Glasgow is also facing civil action in relation to the theft by Rochester Ltd, the company created to manage the trust in question, which was established as an environmental and animal protection fund. It has sued both Glasgow and her former employers BCSL for $439,300, according to court documents.

Following the submissions by both attorneys, the judge stated that he would deliver his sentence on 3 February as he bailed Glasgow for what is likely to be the last time before she is taken into custody to begin serving the sentence that Justice Quin will now impose.

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  1. Anonymous says:

    What about the funds she gave to her brother? Shouldn’t he be asked to return it?

  2. Anonymous says:

    So why didn't Rochester and/or BCSL freeze her assets straight away so the house could not be sold? Who are their attorneys, the cast of the muppet show?

  3. Anonymous says:

    Just to clarify. This woman is a generational Caymanian from West Bay and was raised up in the Adventist church.

  4. Batman says:

    Chris Johnson I support charities on a whole and believe they are very well needed in every community. However,  I  am confused how Levitt got to be president, Nicholson got to be manager of the pines, syed with his fake degrees head at ucci? Is it because the circle of friends are their brothers keeper? Therefore they are above the law? How many of the above mentioned are serving prison sentences?

    i recommend every service club if not already consider  completing due diligence for themselves.  It would save a whole lot of embarrassment and empty bank accounts.

    • Chris Johnson says:

      Batman I have the following response for your edification. Levitt must have passed the KYC procedures at the law firm here he worked. As to the lady that managed the Pines any due diligence would have turned up nothing when she was employed by the Pines. That my friend is a fact. As to Mr Sayed my research shows that he was never a member of any Service Club but I stand corrected should you furnish the evidence. In any event he was employed by UCCI and one assumes they checked him out. However it appears UCCI were hoodwinked with false references, not the first time that has happened in the Cayman Islands. You may wish to consider that two of the persons to whom you refer were never dishonest when first employed. Perhaps you could do more research before passing judgment. May I also refer you to two bank mangers that went to jail. Mr Doucet and Mr Aiton but they checked out and only resorted to dishonesty when their banks went bust because of mismanagement, not theft.

      So Batman do not make broad sweeping statements on local residents be they in service clubs or otherwise. As to service clubs employing due diligence procedures would you extend that to the treasurers of all sporting and social clubs? Best still should those watching over the church funds be subject to due diligence? Perhaps all of these entities should be subject to an annual audit thereby putting millions back into the economy by virtue of audit fees. I welcome your usual contructive remarks, Mr Batman.

      • Anonymous says:

        Chris this is simply not the case!  Levitt came into Cayman with a clean police record from Israel where he lived for a year before he come to Cayman and had valid certificates from 2 different south african accounting associations.  This was so even with the fact he was sentenced in 2 different countries for fraud including south africa.  At the time he went to court neither the police nor the FCU were able to prove that (this came out in court ).  His employer who filed charges against him was only able to get his convictions in the Cayman Court by including it in their victim impact statement and Levitt conceded to the facts. The police were never able to get a copy of his record from either jurisdiction at the time of his sentencing.  Those are the facts Chris. 

  5. Anonymous says:

    The blackmailer must have a golden c#@* for her to pay so much to maintain him.  What a disgrace this young woman is to her good family.  I guess the Devil made her did it.  Did it once, got away, but over and over again?  That's pure greed and stupidity.

  6. Anonymous says:

    Not one comment that is critical of Bodden Corporate Services. What systems did they have in place to ensure stewardship of assets under management? 

     
    • Anonymous says:

      An employee steals and you want to blame the employer for not having better systems in place? How stupid can you be? She was in a position of trust AND forging the signature of another trustee to commit the theft. Take responsability for ones actions! I hope the judge gives her a harsher sentence for the Blackmail story as we all know that is BS. Its a fake excuse to justify her crime, when it was greed, plain and simple! 

      • Anonymous says:

        She was a Director of BCSL. That’s how she could sign on the company’s bank account.

        • Anonymous says:

          Director disqualification processes are desperately needed.

          • Chris Johnson says:

            I have been advocating directors disqualification laws for years. It will not happen because of the number of lawyers and accountants being part of the jumbo director scenario on hedge funds. But wait a bit it gets worse as CIMA wants to partially regulate hedge fund directors thereby creating dual standards for directors. So if you are a negligent director of a real estate development like the failed Ritz Carlton development or First Cayman Bank that is ok, you cannot be chased.
            The financial community must also make illegal the indemnities granted to thousands of directors against negligence etc. To date this facade has cost hedge fund investors millions of dollars because of untouchable directors. We need to be legally in line with places like Jersey and Guernsey who banned indemnities years ago.

            • Play Fair says:

              Very odd interpretation of the Jersey Companies Law. They did not ban indemnities for directors in Jersey.  Jersey did impose restrictions on the ability for jersey companies to indemnify a director against claims and liabilities arising as a result of the director discharging their duties as a director.   The Jersey law still allows for indemnities where:

               

              –       a judgment is given in the directors favour or the director is acquitted

              –       the case is discontinued etc

               

              Also companies in Jersey may lend a director money to fund defense costs – if the director is successful then the loan is cancelled and the converse is true if the fail.

               

              Similarly the U.K. Companies Act allows English companies to pre-fund defense costs to directors.

               

              Also this has no effect on D&O which most companies should secure anyway.

               

              The use of the word ban is disingenuous – you should change that to restrict

               

      • Anonymous says:

        No-one is attempting to excuse her crime. I'm merely pointing out that if BCS had ever bothered to send some form of statement of assets,  however simple, to the clients, or even had the file reviewed by someone senior to Ms Glasgow, then the thefts might have been discovered sooner. This looks like a typical example of inadequate supervision and lack of any meaningful stewardship of the client's assets. It's laziness (or indeed worse) on the part of the employer to just hand that over to an employee. Anyone in the George Town trust business should be appalled at how this played out. 

  7. Anonymous says:

    If she can't return the money then show us the pictures!

  8. The Wolf says:

    American style? Would that be… where she strikes a deal with prosecutors and is given.. 2 yrs. in a 'country club' jail? Or.. bailed out with hundreds of billions of public funds? And then.. given a fine? Like JP Morgan?

     

    I'm not condoning it, or her actions, but it seems in America it's a matter of scale steal a little… and you go to jail. Steal a tremendous amount.. and you get a year end bonus.

     

    Get it? The fines now being levied against Wall Street firms have come after..  they were given.. public money to cover their gambling losses and further which they stole.. from ordinary Americans. There have been criminal charges but no one is going to prison. Far from it.  After a hiatus, they seem to be back at it again.

     

    Read 13 Bankers. Too big to jail?

  9. Anonymous says:

    Did she name this myserious blackmailer?  Has she made a complaint to the police?  Has she said how much money she gave him? No?  Then ignore it.

  10. Anonymous says:

    The problem with those thieves, they are never punished for their infractions.  When they steal, their assets should be frozen instantly and on conviction, restitution to their employers and prison time.  Too many are give a slap on the wrists and set free.

    There should be a public parade for the world to see and know the thief.  Most of them put children or sickness at the forefront of their thievery.  What a shame.

  11. A Realist says:

    Typical of people of her ilk. Commit a crime and then when caught blame it on the big bad Jamaican who forced her to do it.

    What a POS.

     

    • Anonymous says:

      Because she tried to blame her thieving on a Jamaican blackmailer (lie) she deserves to serve her sentence in a Jamaican prison….real yardy style! What a wicked woman.

    • Anonymous says:

      @ A Realist let's be real and consider all the factors and when we look at the criminal activity in these islands is it really that hard to believe there was a Jamaican connection? Remember can't brag about being so much more integregated with Caymanians over other nationalities and expect to avoid taking blame if an when due, so yes I personally believe it is possible she could have been blackmailed by a jamaican…live with it

      • Anonymous says:

        Where is the proof of the blackmail?!? No proof that the person she named even existed?!? I think you're just an idiot who chose to believe the BS story this thief concocted to gain pity from gullible ppl like you. This is our own home grown Caymanian criminal that created this mess all by her greedy, lying self so live with it!

  12. Anonymous says:

    This should be handled American style – 1 year for each fraud, served consecutively.

    • Anonymous says:

      If you steal from an employer once are you always considered a thief?

      • Anonymous says:

        You are in my book.  You become 100% unemployable.  Forever.  Some leoprads change their spots, but very very few.  And given the stastistics all theives lost the benefit of any doubt when they decided to steal in the first place.

  13. 4Cayman says:

    Syed, Levitt, Nicholson, the Pension Fund Aministrator and the list goes on…..guess what they are all expats and were all honorary members of local societies.

    what a farce!!

    • Chris Johnson says:

      Stop knocking the local service orgaizations and reflect upon  the huge amount of charitable work they have done over the last 40 years or more. A week does not go by without one service club  doing one good deed or another. There are bad eggs in all walks of life. Be postive and next time you come across a worthy cause make a contribution instead of winging.

      • Hancock says:

        Chris is right, these clubs have done much to enhance the well-being of Cayman. By the way none of the persons were Honorary members of any societies, the writer of the blog got that right round his orbher neck. Judgingby the remaining blogs which are plain racial garbage I think CNS should have not bothered to publish them. Just what has Ms Glasgow got to do with race. Some bloggers need grow up.

  14. Anonymous says:

    There are too many theft cases full stop.  The problem is that the light touch regulatory regime does impose sufficient oversight requirements on management and employers.  That being said there habe been quite afew "local bank teller with hand in till" stories over the last year and some serious sentences need to be handed down.  That is not meant to be part of the silly ex-pat/local arguments on this thread, rather it is certainly the case that heavy sentences for local staff might have impact on others locally.  It is stories like this that give employers excuse to hire foreign rather than local, so every local thief is harming the interests of the local popluation as a whole.

  15. Whodatis says:

    Wow, Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 22/01/2014 – 22:42, you bring a whole new meaning to the term "intellectual dishonesty".

    You are one seriously sick and twisted individual.

    Hope you're proud of yourself though.

  16. Anny Omis says:

    She needs to pay it back, every penny, plus interest. Any suggestion otherwise is pattently offensive, and a slap in the face to all hardworking and honest Caymanians. I cannot even believe there is any question!

  17. Anonymous says:

    I do not care where the thief is from  – its all bad for our jurisdiction.  Hate these crimes and headlines just bad news for Cayman Inc.’s image 

  18. Anonymous says:

    People Criminals come in every race creed or color, let’s not make this a Caymanian vs Expat issue. A crook is a crook is a crook no matter where they are from and this has nothing to do with rather people should hire Caymanians or Expats. As a business owner you should have the right to hire whomever is best for the position, will do the job right and become an asset to your company.

  19. Anonymous says:

    If that was the best mitigation argument, I would have gone full Chewbacca on the judge.

  20. Troy says:

    Think PINES!! 

  21. Trust Me says:

    Here's a little known fact….. Goldman Sachs, McKeeva Bush.. and Bernie Madoff …are from West Bay!!

     

    That should settle this argument.

  22. Anonymous says:

    I'm just curious to know if the UDP gave her money before or AFTER her arrest.

     

     

    • Diogenes says:

      Excellent point.  Per the article was charged with the offence in Novemeber 2011 and arrested in June 2012, yet received the $10K in 2012 – definately after charging, and potentially after arrest. 

       

      Ironic though – a suspected criminal receives money from the NBF, but actually pays it back – wonder how many others have done the same!

  23. Sea Urchin says:

    8.22 the only issue with your statement here is that the Caymanian will go through judicial system and get a potential jail sentence, whilst the expat jumps on a plane and is living in harmony  in the alps enjoying the money stolen from the less fortunate. 

     

    • Anonymous says:

      When the Caymanians steal, they have no place to run to go, but the expat packs bag and flee.  By the time the authourities start looking, they have been given enough time to flee, and they are gone.  

      What amazes me, is the fact that UK citizens have not been repatriated to stand trial in the court of justice.  Is there a problem with repatriating those criminals?  If so, why?  

       

      • Anonymous says:

        ah yes because Caymanians are not allowed to board flights out of Cayman, zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

      • anonymous says:

        By default, you have the UK to go to and all the extended benefits that go with it. I personally know several caymanians working, studying and jobless on benefits in London, Sheffield and Nottingham.

        No nationality has the exclusive monopoly on being an expat.

  24. Anonymous says:

    Most people have forgotten that thanks to McKeeva and his status grants we now have more foreign "Caymanians" than generational Caymanians.  The fact remains this criminal is a criminal and should be punished to the fullest extent of the law regardless of whether or not she is ex-pat or Caymanian or which kind of Caymanian…..There are many here who can make us proud or break us and this is one who should have the book thrown at her.

    • Anonymous says:

      Agree with you fully, great comment; she should be punished local or expat. Correction though…not only McKeeva gave away status.

      The others had a list too, and ensured their people got status too… Albeit not as many…but McKeeva took all the licks.  Perhaps you were not aware of this, or heard the rumour but didn't believe it.  This is not hear say…it is a fact. 

      Please know… I have no allegence to any of the parties, and I am not a "Bushite" either…so this is not about taking Mckeeva's side. It's about the truth with regards to status grants.

      A good number of people that got status can tell you if they are honest,who put them on the list, and you would be surprised. They were not  all from McKeeva's party nor Bushites.  Names were submitted by people from the other party too.

      If I steal $300.00 and you steal $1000.00 we are both theifs…and should both be punished to the tone of…accordingly. 

      Thanks to Mckeeva and the other politicians that didn't have the gumption to admit their involvement…. we now have more foreign "Caymanians" than generational Caymanians. 

       

       

      • Anonymous says:

        That is our problem when it comes to crime.  Status gave us good and bad, by allowing some of undesirables in and they brought, and are stillbringing in undesirables into this country.  One family with so many different surnames and are all brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins and the list goes on.  Where is due diligence?  Stop importing crime and poverty to the Cayman Islands.

      • Anonymous says:

        You are a liar! If "the others" you refer to are the PPM, that is not true. The PPM were asked by the UDP if they wanted to give a list and refused to participate in what they knew was wrong. 

        Show some proof – I've seen the UDP list. 

         

        • Anonymous says:

          Your head is buried in the sand. I know this is so for a fact because one of PPM stalwart supportes called me asking me to suggest the name of a mutual friend. I refused and called our friend who was off island at the time telling the person that I had been approached, and that I refused to put forward their name.

          The person told me they understood and had no issue with that….Not that I gave a hoot if they did or not….I was not about to support that movement. That person and their entire family which makes up 4 all got their status, and had only been on island a few years. Not that they were not decent humans..that was not the point.

          There were a good few others I knew off who had the same person that called me called them and same exact thing was put forward and happened…The person and their family members got status as well. Or individuals.

          You know what galls me wih some of you die hard political followers. You are not astute  it seem….anytime someone says something contrary to your beleifs about the political party you choose to follow blindly in this case, you sing out liar. You are doggone idiots if you believe that your party is perfect. They all have flaws! Albeit on different levels.

          And by the way I do not stand for no political party, UDP nor PPM, I vote for individuals no matter their party, after quietly going about my business listening carefully and observing people in and out of their political realm. I can like you but not feel you are the best to run my country.

          You would be surprised what you uncover when you stay in the back ground.  I vote integrity. as best I can everytime..and I not suggesting you don't to the best of your knowledge either. And I do not vote 4 5 or 6 like in the last election just to vote 6. I do not give a hoot who the person is, family orvery close friend.  If I firmly believe your quality of intent is poor and you have nothing positive to bring to the table….I ain't voting for you!

          You need to wake up because you been asleep on that particular issue. Go ahead putting your head on a chopping block for people…. if it were to kill you, your heading would been rolling long time…. I know it won't be me.

          Whether you or I like it….It is a FACT that not only UDP put forward names that got status. However you are entitled to your opinion…mine is not one it is a FACT. I rest my case on this issue but please continue to comment if it pleases you. 

    • Anonymous says:

      Ah, the old foreign "Caymanians" v us real Caymanians argument.  Tell me, how far back down your family tree did your family come to the island, or did you evolve from indigenous wildlife?

  25. Anonymous says:

    At least she attended work regularly!

  26. "Expat" says:

    How in Heaven's name did this become an us and them cuss cuss? Come on people, stop using this medium to vent nasty bile that is not relevant to the core issue which is INTEGRITY.

    When are we ever going to stop seeing every issue through the expat vs Caymanian lens? I find it tedious and inintelligent. Will we continue to be divided forever, or will we one day be united, tolerant and simply FRIENDS?

    What say you the silent majority, if there is one.

  27. Anonymous says:

    Hire local they said…..

    • Anonymous says:

      This is a very stupid comment!!! How shallow can one get.

      It don't matter where a person is from.

      People from any region could have commented that act.

       

       

    • Anonymous says:

      That shouldn't come out of your mouth after the huge thefts by expats Michael Levitt and others. But of course prejudice is irrational.

    • Anonymous says:

      YOU SILLY PERSON!!  Whats with that dumb comment?! Your thinking sucks so bad, it's sad!…

      Caymanians mess up yes, but expats do as well. Many could say the majority of the times, expats get slapped on the wrist, or charges are never pressed. Or, they get to skip the island so they are never prosecuted. Some locals get of lightly too, yep….I can admit that, because I am a fair and rational local.

      I have nothing against expats, even knowing that some get off lightly and that some, don't mean us Camanians any good…Why? Because there is good and bad no matter your nationality, financial background, race or religion. 

      There are many decent expats and new Caymanians who have given back much to Cayman and continue to do so day in and out…You obviously cannot be one of any of the above with your ignorant meanspirited comment.

      Your comment could make some people ignorant like you, judge all expats by you…which would be unfair…You need to change your outlook.. or I suggest you consider going home and see if you can find an area of your country…. where only your indigenous people live and are all perfect angels. Or adjust and let us all try our best, to live on this island we all call home, whether temporary or permanently, and treat each other with common respect due.

      I stand to be corrected if you are not an expat…If you are not and you are local…then you possibly have even more issues…

  28. AnonymousPeter White says:

    Ex-pats steal from their employer also.

     

    • Anonymous says:

      Ah yes, but how many expats are there, 20 or 30,000 on work permits? Compare that to maybe 10,000 Caymanians of employment age, and another 20,000 unemployable, unemployed, retired or sick.

      Is there not a little disparity between the two numbers and the ratio of crime committed by Caymanians, either on each other or against 'others'? No one is saying that theft and or violence is the sole preserve of Cayman or Caymanians, but the ratios speak for themselves. To deny that a higher proportion is committed by 'locals' is plainly wrong, especially if you look at the jail population.

      In most country's these ratios are less important as the local population invariably out numbers the guest population. But Cayman is approximately 50/50, (local/expat) and the numbers speak for themselves.

      I would suggest that if anyone is in any doubt, have a daysitting in court and observe.

      The premise of employing someone because they are Caymanian is a dangerous road to embark on if your motivation is to fill a position with a body, not a trusted employee. Of course the vast majority of Caymanians are honest, but that doesn't necessarilly mean they are the right person for the job, especially when dealing with huge sums of money. Many things should be taken into account when employing anyone who is exposed to such massive temptation. Their financials for a start, their police and employment record and personal referees should all be scrutinised with the utmost care.

      It appears to me that many of the so called white collar crimes have been committed by opportunists who have seen vast holes in company procedures and exploited them to the max. If I were looking to Cayman for investments, trust funds or simple wealth advice, I would certainly want to know that the companies involved could identify such criminality sooner than these specific examples.  But to play safe, I'll leave my money in Jersey and Bermuda for now.

      • Anonymous says:

        This is a very irrational argument. It can be summed up in far fewer words completely disregarding ratios, proportions, Cayman v expat. 

        Let's say you have country X and completely disregarding the size of it's indigenous population, the natives to country X are more inclined to (i) commit crimes, (ii) be arrested, (iii) populate local prisons than visitors or expatriate workers.  It's not a random occurrence. Do the research.

        Rather than jumping on the expat v local bandwagon and using BS to justify your bias, a bit of research will show that this is the trend throughout time.  A more valued investigation (if you're looking for a case study) would be to find a country where the expatriates have over run the country and are committing all the crimes, evaluate why and get back to us.

        Just accept that crime is crime and in any scoiety where individuals are free to accumulate wealth, there will be others looking to get their hands on it, legally or otherwise.  For obvious reasons it is more apparent who is committing crimes in Cayman and seriously, where else would one sincerely make the ridiculous suggestion to spend a day sitting in a local court to observe what nationalities are being tried for crimes, just for funsies?

    • Anonymous says:

      They waste time at work too. I know one who chats on messenger all day long, everyday. You can't get up and walk past the desk and they are not typing away.  They earn more money for doing nothing yet they say Caymanians are lazy and don't wanna work.

  29. Anonymous says:

    Yet another local who believes they are entitled to other peoples money. Not a street robbery, not a burglary, not an armed heist, but a simple case of fraud, like so many cases before it.

    The problem with those who feel self entitled is that they think it is everyone else's duty to do the hard stuff, like work or pay their own way. They think they can have kids without facing the consequences, blame the world when they can't afford them, then try to convince the rest of us that it's our fault for their lack of backbone and integrity.

    The arrogance is there for all to see, they commit crimes that are simple to execute because their entitlement culture encourages them to believe in their own immunity. Simply put, just placing somebody in a job because they are local is asking for trouble. That is why employers like experienced individuals with a proven track record, or those who have most to lose by being constrained by a work permit.

    Of course, Cayman is by no means the exclusive domain of the self entitled and dishonest, but Cayman is home to a lot of other peoples money. For a very small, local community who claim to be honest and Christian, there is an awful lot of criminal activity. And I'm not just referring to fraud, violence, robbery or drugs, just look at the cabal of local businesses and the small number of families who run them. There is an undoubted attitude that other people will pay, whether through services or produce. Price fixing and blatant over charging is obvious to all, and it's sadly mainly poorer Caymanians who pay the price of their compatriots greed.

    What is more striking though, is that many of these crimes are committed by people who are paid significantly more than guest labour. Foreigners who manage to honestly survive on criminally low wages and live in sub standard accommodation, often thousands of miles from their own kids and families who live in poverty unimaginable to Caymanians.

    Why is that?

    • Anonymous says:

      Well said! 

    • 1Cayman says:

      Exactly! Why is that?

      Why would they leave their glamorous life style back in their uncorrupted, crime free country to travel thousands of miles to live in such poverty?

      • Anonymous says:

        You over pampered, self righteous idiots don't know what real poverty is obviously. These people come here to do the work you can't or won't do because you think you're too smart or its beneath your over inflated opinion of yourselves. The reason they come here is to better their lives and that of their families. They don't whine and moan that they have to leave their homes and loved ones to seek employment, nor do they expect their governments to employ them in meaningless jobs with fat salaries and even fatter pensions. And, they certainly don't claim to come from some kind of utopian dream land where all is rosy. They do what they have to do to survive in a tough world, if that means leaving poverty or paradise, that's what they do. It's a lesson many on this island could learn from.

        I hope you never see the day when those you disparage so much refuse to work for one week or leave the island en masse. Even the threat would be enough to cause major international concern and see the tourism sector go into free fall. The economy would be terminally damaged for years to come and your prospects would be less than assured for the foreseeable future. And, should those who refuse to do these jobs now actually enter the work place, they won't be working for the pitiful amount you once paid. They will demand huge pay rises that will send inflation through the roof, make the island prohibitively expensive for tourists and visiting property owners and blow a hole in any economic revival. Simply put, you'll go broke, but at least you'll have full employment and the island to yourselves, literally, because no one will come to an island with a failing second rate service sector, charging first rate prices. Taxation will almost certainly follow, you'll have to rake your own yards, look after your own kids and clean up your own s###. 

        Do you seriously think that if these people had a real choice to either stay in their homelands or work for exploitative, ungrateful and ignorant employers, they'd choose here. Put your dumbass head on straight, Cayman has an employment market that can't or won't be serviced by local labour alone. Perhaps if you had the same work ethic and sense of family support that these people have, you wouldn't be in the mess you're currently in. Start paying them some respect and a decent wage before you get all self righteous, but oh no, that would leave less money in the pot to feed your self entitled greed.

        That's why!

      • Anonymous says:

        The best life and the most freedom they have had in their lives.  That's why some if them are so aggressive and demanding.  How about the deprived using line and hook to catch the chickens for food.  When have you heard of an Caymanian committing such an act.  We are not that starved for food to use an hook and line to catch chickens for a meal.  Poverty is being imported,  stop it now.

    • Anonymous says:

      Soo not saying that Caymanians should be greedy and steal from their employers (that is wrong!) but by now, foreigners should know what the wages are on the island and the type of accommodation there is here.  If you don't want to work for low wages or live in sub standard accommodations, GO HOME!

      • Anonymous says:

        I bet you're so proud to be part of a society that believes it's all their fault for coming here in the first place, and not your fault for being exploitative, disrespectful, degrading and inhuman.

        Caymankind in all is disgusting glory.

      • Anonymous says:

        you DO understand why the lower paid expats ive in sub-par conditions.

        immigration will not let them bring over there famililes, so they work and try to keep cost low to send enough money home to supply food on their families table.

        Funny how so many "Christians" here want to stop them sending money home and let their families starve. and I mean starve, no like in KY where people say they are broke and have to steal as they are paying to keep an Escalade in the drive and their iphone accounts going.

        So many people here are like the Pharisees in Luke, Jesus would be so ashamed you say your hearts belong to him.

  30. Anonymous says:

    Your comment couldn’t be any more rubbish. You and whoever game that a thumbs up should go back to where you came from as it seems your homeland has no liars and theives. A theif is a theif, whether they are caymanian or an expat. They should be dealt with according to the law, hopefully a nice long sentence, and call that george. No need for the jab at caymanians. Seems as if you just don’t like us, in that case go and stand in traffic and share your discontent

  31. Anonymous says:

    Prices at Fosters must be going through the roof when is costs $112,000 a year to not live an extravagant lifestyle.

  32. Anonymous says:

    What a prejudiced and biased comment. Disgusting!

  33. KY1 says:

    Hating Troll, what does "blatant dishonesty" have to do with Caymanians? 

  34. Anonymous says:

    OK, you are an idiot poster 8:22.  There are dishonest Americans, Canadians, Jamaicans, Caymanians, Phillipinos, whatever you name it!  JUST STUPID!

    XXXX

    Stick her rear-end in jail! 

  35. Anonymous says:

    This is another good example of why employers should not be forced to hire Caymanians. Blatant dishonesty is rampant in Cayman.

     

    • Anonymous says:

      @ 08.22 – It doesnt matter who you are or your nationality ANYONE can, if they choose to, steal. 

      • Anonymous says:

        Please also bear in mind that some of these offices teach you how to steal.  Instead ofrefunding the overpayment of fees, they hold on to it, instead of finishing up a job for a client they drag it out as long as possible so they can chalk up extra hours to bill the client.  They sometimes also when filling out work permit application down grade their position so that they won't have to pay the higher fees to immigration.. It is all stealing . Who know whether or not some of these "thieves" go into the workplace with good intention but because they have to carry out so much underhanded duties for their employers they loose their conscience about being honest and take it to the inth degree.  I am not making excuses for this person or any one else but please bear in mind sometimes the workers are trained to steal.

      • Anonymous says:

        It is a good thing that the writer of the first comment is anonymous because somebody would be charged for something else other than stealing!!

    • Anonymous says:

      I am sorry but this is such an asinine comment.  No wonder there are so much division between expats and Caymanians.  Just like how there have been many expats who have stolen from their employers, the pension fund theft, as well as the accountant who stole from the law firm, they were both expats.  Thieves come in all nationalities and it is ridiculous to talk about forcing to hire Caymanians because they steal.  Stupid, ignorant comment only meant to inflame prejudices. 

       

       

    • Anonymous says:

      That said, it is refreshing to see good, honest, home-grown criminals.  I am sick of ex-pats coming to these islands, taking all the lucrative crimes away from Caymanians.

      • Anonymous says:

        There is no crime left to be taken away. For a tiny population, there sure are an incredible amount of local people getting locked up right now.

        They are either racing away from the police, getting locked up for armed robbery, stabbing each other or just plain helping themselves to other people's money.

        Even the police are getting arrested too in as many weeks there have been news reports of police being arrested for corruption or firearms importation.

         

    • Anonymous says:

      The last crook was a South African/Canadian chap, no comment of the blatant dishonesty as that's pretty fair, but it's also an equal oporuntity one not limited to Caymanians.  This stuff isn't sophisticated criminal activity but the rewards are large, companies need to be a bit better run.

      90% blame on the crook, 10% on the company for not having checks and balances to safeguard the clients money.

    • Anonymous says:

      8:22, you must be a troll. That comment is desperately unfair and I am not even a caymanian.

    • Anonymous says:

      And is far worse when we reparptriate thieves into our country. How many Caymanians have stolen millions?  Tell us now. Y

    • Anonymous says:

      OK. Not like this happens anywhere in the world and only CAYMANIANS do this, right? Ignorant.

    • Just a Simple Caymanian says:

      I take it by your comment that you are not Caymanian and have a bone. It is not only "Caymanian" do this at all look back over time and see for yourself before you make a comment like this. It is wrong wnat she did and can looked at as a serious issue not only here but everywhere .

      she needs help and hopfully she will get it somewhere . Do not judge less ye be Judge

    • Anonymous says:

      Nasty comment, and blatantly untrue. Every community has its criminal element, and that includes expats here. And yes, i am an expat. Worldwide jails are full of their own local as well as foreign criminals so I can only believe that you are a bigoted xenophobic expat who should go home to your own wonderland. Your comment is pure sh1t stirring in its worst form.

    • Anonymous says:

      Yes, There are a lot of dishonest Caymanians, but please do not forget that some expats are theives as well. What about the Pines, the guy  from Solomon Harris and  the medical student who stole from an elderly gentleman.  Need I go on.?

    • Anonymous says:

      Yes, its a well known fact that all Caymanians areblatantly dishonest while those from other countries are all completely honest.

      Jack*ss!

      • Anonymous says:

        You are definitely narrow minded and ignorant to say such a thing.

    • Anonymous says:

      As I'm typing this you have 27 thumbs up.

      Who are you people?

    • Fuzzy says:
       
       
    • Anonymous says:

      You did not just say that right 8:22?  

      We have white-collar crime just like everywhere else in the world.  

      The recent scandals are more than 90% EXPATS so instead of your bloated bigoted mind, we should be looking into better police clearances and solid references for ALL hired employees.

      The woman who stole in this story was a calculated career theif, period.  So was the Rotarian that inflitrated a law firm and so was the long term loyal employee of the retirement home (they were expats so your theory is full of holes.)  

      Accept that greedy human nature will seep into businesses and look for easy money.  It has nothing to do with locals vs expats, ahem…..except it is easier for an expat to run away so THUS by LOGIC, ecpats are a larger THREAT than a loyal local hire.

      Your post is full of hate and holes and I wish you happy travels back to your home country.  People like you would most likely be lowly losers back home amongst millions to compete with, but here you get to pretend to be a big wig- but your post shows just how small you are!

    • Dana says:

      Dear "This is Another Good Example",

      Your comment is highly offensive to those of us Caymanians who are honest and hardworking, and who find honest ways to make ends meet without stealing from others. 

      Are you really shallow and uninformed enough to believe that it is only Caymanians who steal? I can think of a high profile case very recently where an employee stole a significant sum of money from a local law firm, and I don't believe his birth certificate lists the Cayman Islands as his place of birth.  What about those who pilfer from charities, or other foreign workers who steal from their employers but whose cases aren't significant enough to make national headlines?   

      I do not live in a state of total oblivion, so I am well aware that we have Caymanians who do these things. However….FYI…."blatant dishonesty is rampant" EVERYWHERE! It exists across all geographic, racial, ethnic, religious, and socioeconomic boundaries. NEWS ALERT…..It is not limited to Cayman, and is not limited to Caymanians.

      Since I am not sure which utopia you were born and raised in, perhaps you should let us know so that some of us may consider retiring there.  If you are indeed Caymanian, then you should be ashamed to have made such an asinine comment, and under the cloak of anonymity no less! This means that you are a part of the problem.

       I have no real issue with us, as a nation, accepting individuals from other countries who come here to make a better living, make a positive contribution, and embrace Cayman as their home for whatever time they are here. What I do have a serious issue with is any individual (Caymanian or not) or organisation who treats/speaks of Caymanians as if they are a substandard species devoid of any good traits whatsoever. 

      Hopefully you will rethink your position and quit generalizing. Enough is enough!

      Dana