MAHO--Long-serving Sonesta Maho Resort and Casino comptroller D.M. was arrested last Friday on suspicion of embezzling large sums of money from the resort for which he has worked for more than a decade. Investigators are conducting a "fact check" of the case.
A Canadian residing on the island, D.M. held a management-level position and was responsible for supervising the quality of accounting and financial reporting of the resort. He is suspected of stealing a considerable amount of money from the resort. The exact amount was not made known, but is believed to be more than US $100,000.
Authorities were alerted to D.M.'s alleged fraudulent activities and his plans to leave the country were thwarted when he was arrested last Friday. Chief Prosecutor Hans Mos said that if the suspect had been able to leave the island finding him would have been very difficult.
Resort management first learned of D.M.'s alleged embezzlement scheme through an audit done by an independent accounting agency. The report showed several discrepancies that gave cause for further investigation.
Mos explained that the objective of the current investigation was to search for the embezzled funds and compensate the resort for its losses. Investigators believe D.M.'s money is saved in Canada.
The Prosecutor's Office may begin a criminal case against the suspect after the fact-finding is completed. Because of the nature of the crime, it may be possible for D.M. to pay a fine rather than serve a prison sentence. The estimate of how much D.M. may have to pay in fines is negotiable.
Contacted for comment on the case Tuesday, Sonesta Maho management maintained that D.M. simply was no longer employed by the resort, but would not confirm that a criminal investigation was in progress.
Source: http://www.thedailyherald.com/islands/1-islands-news/22786-maho-comptroller-arrested-for-fraud-.html
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