CLAUDIA Verona Roberts, the woman at the centre of an overseas employment scam in which more than 500 people were fleeced of approximately US$,1,070 each, was yesterday given until next Thursday to repay the monies defrauded in mitigation of her sentence.

Roberts was initially charged with 100 counts of obtaining money by false pretences, but subsequently pleaded guilty to 10 counts of the offence.
Presiding magistrate Judith Pusey yesterday told Roberts that she needed to return the monies defrauded by December 28 if she wanted her to consider it before passing sentence. Pusey then ordered Roberts remanded into custody until that time.

Pusey's statements came in the face of explanations by Roberts' attorney, Christopher Townsend, who told the court that there was a difficulty in repaying the monies as the Financial Investigations Unit (FIU) was still holding his client's possessions. On a previous hearing in the matter, Roberts told the court that she was willing to sell her possessions in order to repay the people whom she had defrauded.

According to a representative from the FIU, who was in court yesterday, the police were currently still trying to determine the total value of Roberts' assets. The representative said three motor vehicles belonging to Roberts, which were worth a combined total of $5.8 million, had been seized. The vehicles, he said, accounted for 50 per cent of her assets. He also indicated, however, that the FIU was willing to assist in liquidating Roberts' assets in order to repay the people who were defrauded.

In the meantime, the officer also stated that additional charges of money laundering are to be laid against Roberts.

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