By The SUN
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| Tell-tale signs of laundering: big sums are deposited and withdrawn on same day (File) |
Two Filipina domestic helpers whose bank accounts were used to launder a total of more than $1.3 million more than two years ago, both pleaded not guilty to a charge of dealing with property known or believed to be proceeds of a crime - more popularly known as money laundering.
One of the defendants, Marissa C. Mesa, 46, also denied an alternative charge of conspiring with an unnamed person to deal with a total sum of $1,075,781 which passed through her account with HSBC between Apr 21 and May 25, 2020.
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| PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE |
The other defendant, Hazel V. Gepulgani, 33, was accused of using her HSBC account to deal with a total sum of $281,400, between Jun 13 and Jun 18, 2020, “knowing or having reasonable grounds to believe” that the money represented proceeds of a crime.
Following their not-guilty pleas, Principal Magistrate Ada Yim set down the trial of their cases to Oct. 18, to allow lawyers on both sides to line up their evidence and witnesses.
Magistrate Yim also extended the defendants’ bail on the
same terms - $2,000 for
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The charge laid against each of the two defendants, more popularly known as “money laundering,” is said to be contrary to sections 25(1) and 25(3) of the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance.
The two accused last appeared in court on Jul 22, along with three other Filipinas who all admitted a count each of dealing with property known to be proceeds of a crime.
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| Press for details |
The money that passed through the accounts of the five defendants, totalling nearly $2 million, was said to have been obtained in part from a local woman who fell prey to a love scam.
The three – Fatima Sumcio, 47; Judyline Astronomo, 46; and Ayishah Barton, 40; were subsequently sentenced to eight, four and two months in prison, respectively by Magistrate Edward Wong. The sentences reflected the amount that passed through each of their bank accounts.
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| BASAHIN ANG DETALYE |
The magistrate rejected one of the defense lawyers’ claim that the women were victims, saying they were active participants in the crime for having accepted between $1,000 and $3,000 in exchange for handing over their ATM cards.
Read the previous story here: https://www.sunwebhk.com/2022/07/people-who-sell-their-atms-to-money.html.
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| PADALA NA! |
