A Corporate Area woman who owns and operates two funeral homes has been accused of scamming over $20 million from unsuspecting persons while pretending to be a National Housing Trust (NHT) employee.

It is alleged that this took place while the woman was on bail for a similar offence. In that case, it is claimed that another set of persons were scammed of close to $1.5 million.

In 2008, the accused woman, Janise Webster, of a Lawrence Tavern, St Andrew, address, is alleged to have obtained some $1.5 million from unsuspecting complainants by false pretence. She was subsequently arrested and brought before the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court for the crime, and was later granted bail.

NHT properties

New information which was yesterday read out in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court now states that while Webster was on bail for that offence, she allegedly collected close to $20.2 million from another group of people under the guise that they were getting deals on NHT properties.

Webster's lawyer, who filed an unsuccessful bail application for her client, yesterday told the judge that Webster was contacted by someone claiming to be a NHT representative, who communicated that she was able to sell houses and properties that the owners had defaulted on.

He said his client, as a result, made deposits on five such properties and shared the news with others, who decided to make deposits on other such deals.

The lawyer further told the court that some of the deposits from these persons were paid directly to the 'employee' while his client collected some. The 'employee' was subsequently arrested and charged, that attorney stated.

Resident Magistrate Georgianna Fraser, however, ordered that the accused woman be remanded until March 30, when the case will return to court.