John McCarthy
FREDERIKSTED — Police are investigating after a native of Trinidad and Tobago allegedly stole $122,292.88 from an elderly man’s bank account to make payments on her overdue mortgage.
Eva S. Ramon, 59, of Port of Spain, was arrested and charged with financial exploitation of an elderly person or dependent adult, obtaining money by false pretense and grand larceny, the Virgin Islands Police Department said.
The case began on February 7, 2023, when detectives with the Economic Crimes Unit began investigating the financial dealings of Eva S. Ramon on St. Croix, according to the VIPD.
VIPD mug shot of Eva S. Ramon, 59, of Trinidad and Tobago.
The investigation revealed that Eva Ramon did knowingly take out a loan in the amount of $275,000.00 from a local money lender to pay off her mortgage, which was in foreclosure, police said.
Since Ramon was named as the complainant’s father power of attorney at the time, she manipulated the complainant by convincing and, by falsely representing that the loan was for her father, then Ramon insisted that the complainant make payments on the loan from her father’s account, according to police.
Ramon also took $18,000.00 in Banco Popular Official checks, a CD in the amount of $12,292.88, and $9,601.32 in cash withdrawals, all belonging to the complainant’s father.
“Eva Ramon fraudulently obtained the money for her own personal gain, causing the complainant’s elderly father a total loss of $122,292.88, of which she intended to deprive him,” VIPD spokeswoman Kishma Chichester said.
On September 9, 2024, Eva S. Ramon was present at the Wilbur H. Francis Command Police Station where she turned herself over to Detectives from the VIPD’s Department Economic Crime Unit, according to Chichester.
Ramon was immediately served with an arrest warrant and taken into official custody. She was processed and booked.
Bail for Ramon was set at $20,000.00.
Ramon was permitted to post ten percent of the bail amount and be released on her own recognizance pending further court action.
