Two settle vehicle fraud case; co-accused still before the court

MONTEGO BAY, St James — Two of three defendants implicated in what is thought to be an online vehicle fraud scheme have resolved their cases through court-ordered mediation; however, their co-accused is still before the court. Janice Shaw and Roshawn Arnette reached agreements with the complainant during mediation, last Wednesday, when they appeared before Senior Parish Judge Natiesha Fairclough-Hylton in the St James Parish Court. Following the agreements, the prosecution offered no evidence against Shaw and Arnette, effectively bringing the proceedings against them to a close. Their co-accused, Demar Riley, however, was unable to reach an agreement and will return to court on November 11 for further mention. His bail was extended. Shaw was hauled before the court, charged with conspiracy to defraud and making available a computer device for the commission of an offence. Arnette and Riley were each charged with conspiracy to defraud, unlawfully making available a computer device for the commission of an offence, and engaging in a transaction involving criminal property. The allegations centre on a series of payments allegedly extracted from the complainant after an encounter with a Facebook advertisement in September 2025, which purportedly offered repossessed motor vehicles for sale. According to the allegations, the complainant expressed an interest in purchasing a black 2013 Subaru advertised at $250,000 and was subsequently provided with banking details belonging to Shaw. Several deposits totalling $250,000 were allegedly made into Shaw’s account. The complainant reportedly received a telephone call on September 30 from a man who identified himself as an auctioneer and requested an additional $40,000 to facilitate the vehicle’s release. Riley’s banking information was subsequently supplied, and the complainant allegedly transferred the money into his account. The demands reportedly continued later that day, when the complainant was informed that a further $110,000 was required to cover a clearance fee before the vehicle could be released. That sum was allegedly deposited into Arnette’s account. On October 3, another $66,000 was reportedly paid into Shaw’s account, followed by a request for an additional $50,000, with delivery of the vehicle said to be imminent. Despite the series of payments, the complainant never received the Subaru. The matter was subsequently reported to the Area One Fraud Squad, prompting an investigation that led to the arrests of the three defendants.