A female teacher in St James is now facing a criminal charge after she reportedly deceived a teenage girl into stealing millions from her parents. The teacher, identified as 32-year-old Kimberly Bailey-Allen, was initially hired to tutor the teen for a weekly salary of $15,000. However, she allegedly came up with a scheme that led to her receiving $4 million through the girl, who took it from her parent’s business.
According to police reports, Bailey-Allen allegedly manipulated the teen into stealing from her parents’ business, claiming that she would secure spots for her to sit three CSEC exams. The teen, believing that the money was needed to pay for the exams, withdrew large sums over time between April and July 3. She gave the teacher the $4 million in several instalments.
The deception was only uncovered when the teen’s parents noticed discrepancies in the business’s finances. Upon confronting their daughter, she admitted to giving the money to her tutor. Bailey-Allen, who was originally arrested on April 5, was formally charged with obtaining money by false pretence on July 10. Her first court appearance has been scheduled on September 19 at the St. Ann’s Bay Parish Court.
After the news broke on Friday, many were left stunned by the behaviour of the teacher. This incident comes amid heightened concerns about fraud and deception in the parish of St James. The parish has long been a hotspot for various scams, most notably lottery scams.
The Jamaica Constabulary Force has launched operations in response to lottery scams. Recent operations have led to the seizure of millions in local and foreign currency. Additionally, police confiscated high-end vehicles like BMWs, Audis, and Mercedes-Benzes from suspected scammers.
St James has also seen arrests tied to employment and gaming scams. Campaigns like “Scam Done, Justice A Run” have been introduced to raise awareness and push back against these crimes.