Local News

Kerry Walker Admits To Stealing 50K from St. John’s Credit Cooperative Union Customers

25 October 2024
This content originally appeared on Antigua News Room.
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SOURCE- DAILY OBSERVER- Friendships, godparent relationships, and school connections were all exploited in an elaborate loan payment scheme that unfolded at the St John’s Cooperative Credit Union, a court heard on Tuesday in the trial of Kerry Walker.

But before the first witness could even be cross examined, the trial came to an end when Walker decided to admit to the crimes.

The former employee of the St John’s Cooperative Credit Union pleaded guilty to two counts of larceny on Wednesday.

She misappropriated loan payments totalling over $50,000 from multiple credit union members who had trusted her to process their monthly instalments between 2018 and 2020.

Walker, who served as the credit union’s delinquent loans officer, exploited her position and personal relationships with clients to perpetrate the scheme. Among the victims was the godfather to one of Walker’s children.

He had entrusted Walker with money each month to make payments on two loans during different periods.

Two other victims included a teacher who taught Walker’s daughter and served as godmother to one of her children, and a woman, who knew Walker through her child’s school.

It was discovered that Walker would either make partial payments or sometimes no payments at all on clients’ loans.

She managed to conceal the delinquencies by manipulating due dates in the system and avoiding sending out standard notifications to borrowers about their arrears – a responsibility that fell under her purview as the delinquent loans officer.

The scheme unravelled when Walker went on maternity leave, prompting clients to discover their loans were significantly in arrears despite making regular payments to her.

Multiple victims reported never receiving receipts for their payments despite repeated requests. However, their personal connections to Walker led them to continue making payments without pressing too hard for documentation.

The charges involving the third complainant were withdrawn after the victim opted not to proceed with the case.

Her sentencing has been scheduled for December 2.

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