Couple in alleged Ponzi scheme slapped with 10 additional charges

Days after Garcia Dominguez and his wife Ateeka Ishmael were slapped with several charges in relation to allegedly swindling millions of dollars from Guyanese in a major Ponzi scheme, the duo was on Monday slapped with 10 more charges.

Dominguez, 34 and Ishmael, 32, of Track ‘A’ Coldingen, East Coast Demerara are associated with Accelerated Capital Firm and appeared via Skype before Magistrate Leron Daly at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

Particulars of the charges alleged that between May and July 2020 with intent to commit a felony, the couple conspired with persons known and unknown to obtain a total sum of over $60M from the 10 victims under false pretence.

The couple was charged jointly and pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The Cuban national and his wife were represented by attorneys-at-law Glen Hanoman and Dexter Todd.

Todd, in his argument to the court, explained that the State has imposed themselves as a third party to a private contract and they are forcibly allowing the course of a criminal nature to take shape.

The duo was released on $1M bail each and the case was adjourned until October 5, 2020.

Last week, the couple was slapped with 19 similar charges before two Magistrates.

While they were granted $3.9 million bail for 13 of the charges at the Vigilance Magistrate’s Court, they were remanded to prison for six of the charges by Magistrate Alisha George at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court.

The first set of 13 charges were read by Magistrate Marissa Mittelholzer and the particulars alleged that between May and July 2020, the couple obtained a total sum of $24.7M from the 13 victims under false pretence.

Bail was granted in the sum of $3.9M and this case is adjourned to September 18, 2020.

Meanwhile, six similar charges were read via Skype by Magistrate Alisha George at the Sparendaam Court and alleged that they obtained over $1M from the victims under false pretence.

For these charges, they were remanded to prison until September 21, 2020.

The couple’s attorney is expected to approach the High Court for bail for these offences.