Thursday, February 18, 2010

OSWALD James, the Kingston attorney accused of cheating a client of $25 million in a real estate deal, will return to the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate’s Court to answer fraud charges on April 22.

The attorney, who was arrested last year August 14 by Fraud Squad detectives, had his bail extended Tuesday when he appeared before Resident Magistrate Judith Pusey.

It is alleged that in February last year a businessman, based in Canada, gave James US$337,000 to pay down on a property in Seymour Park, St Andrew.

The deal reportedly collapsed and James allegedly sought to interest the complainant in another property in the Queen Hill area, also in St Andrew. That deal also reportedly fell through and the client requested the return of his money.

According to the police, the complainant was refunded US$100,000. However, the complainant filed a report with the fraud squad after the attorney failed to turn over the balance of US$237,000. James was subsequently arrested.