KINGSTON, Jamaica — A former internal auditor for a credit union has pleaded guilty to simple theft after spending more than $2.3 million mistakenly sent to her bank account by her previous employers.

On July 11, 2024, Feleisha Gordon-Outar was mistakenly sent funds totaling $2,359,242.90 from the Jamaica Teachers Association Cooperative Credit Union, where she previously worked until she resigned. The error was later recorded on August 24, 2024, and representatives of the credit union contacted Gordon-Outar and asked him to return the money. However, he asked for six months to pay back the money. There is no money yet to be paid.

Appearing before Senior District Judge Sanchia Burrell at the Kingston and St Andrew District Court, Gordon-Outar’s lawyer argued there was a misunderstanding about the purpose of the funds.

He explained that although the money has not yet been returned, his client intends to repay the money, but has asked the judge for a period of time to make the payments.

“He’s wasting the public’s money,” Judge Burrell commented.

In their accounts, the complainants told the judge the funds were member fees and expressed disappointment with Gordon-Outar’s actions, given his previous relationship with the credit union and familiarity with their operations.

“He knows what we’re doing there,” one of the credit union’s representatives told the court.

The representative told the court Gordon-Outar sent an email demanding she repay the money within a six-month period, which was rejected given she immediately withdrew the money and spent it within a month. He said the credit union would only allow a one-month repayment period, adding that Gordon-Outar owed more money to the credit union along with other loans.

Agreeing with the complainants, Judge Burrell ordered Gordon-Outar to repay the money in full when he returns to court on December 20.

His sentence was postponed until then.

— Kelsey Thomas