BPS: Received Payment On Confiscation Order
[Updated - Officials now say it was part payment] The Bermuda Government received payment on the confiscation order made by the UK courts, the police said today in relation to the theft case which Jeffrey Bevan was convicted for his role in.
A police spokesperson said, “In January 2011, Mr. Jeffrey Bevan, [a UK national], commenced temporary employment with the Government of Bermuda as Payments Manager at the Department of Accountant General [ACG].
File photo of Jeffrey Bevan:
“Mr. Bevan was employed on a three-year contract with responsibility for managing and administering operations of the Payments Section, to ensure provision of accurate financial reports and that established financial controls and accounting standards were adhered to.
“In May 2013, Mr. Bevan ended his contract and returned with his family to Wales, UK.
“In October 2013, an internal audit at the ACG revealed that Mr. Bevan stole $71,096.78 by transferring funds from the Department’s account to his HSBC Bermuda bank account by use of the computerized payments system.
“A full audit revealed that Mr. Bevan had stolen $2,452,135.42 in Government funds between May 2011 and May 2013, by transferring funds from the Department of Accountant General to his and his wife’s local HSBC accounts.
“The funds were layered by using internet banking to cross fire funds between their respective sole HSBC accounts and then further internet transfers to their numerous sole, joint and business accounts held in the UK.
“The Bermuda Police Service commenced enquiries & established that the Bevan’s HSBC accounts had been closed and the money trail tracked the stolen funds to the UK.
“As the BPS does not have regulatory powers in the UK to obtain banking documents or initiate restraint, investigators requested international assistance from their partners at the Welsh Regional Asset Recovery Team [RART].
“The Bermuda Department of Public Prosecutions was informed and a joint investigation strategy was agreed upon. It was also agreed that after conviction in the UK, an application for confiscation proceedings to seek compensation for the Government of Bermuda would be made.
“In November 2013, RART commenced a money laundering investigation to identify assets held by Mr. Bevan, his wife and known associates. Traced assets included purchases of vehicles in Wales, a race horse in Ireland and fourteen properties in England, Scotland and Wales.
“On 16 February, 2018 Mr. Bevan pleaded guilty to money laundering and was convicted. The case against Mrs. Bevan was discharged. Their associates, Mr. Joel Ismail and Mr. Paul Charity, were acquitted of money laundering. However, Mr. Charity was convicted of perverting the course of justice.
“Mr. Bevan was sentenced to 7 years and 4 months imprisonment. Mr. Charity was sentenced to 8 months imprisonment.
“This week, the Bermuda Government received final payment on the confiscation order made by the UK courts, which brings this matter to a conclusion,” with the police stating it amount recovered was more than half a million dollars.
Upon receiving this information, Superintendent Nicholas Pedro, the Officer in Charge – Serious Crime, stated: “The Bermuda Police Service would like to thank its partners in the Office of the Accountant General for their early detection of this matter, the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, officials at HSBC Bermuda as well as our colleagues in the Welsh Regional Asset Recovery Team, for all their efforts in bringing this matter to a conclusion favourable to the Government and people of Bermuda.
“I would also like to thank and acknowledge our team members in the Financial Crime Unit, whose tenacity, analysis, and diligence, resulted in the identification, recovery, and restitution of significant stolen assets to the Bermuda Government.
“Our ability to work across borders with our international partners and conduct complex investigations into serious financial crime is an important feature in our mandate to protect Bermuda as a leading international financial center.”
Update Aug 8, 10.38am: The police said, “The Accountant General’s office has now indicated the monies recovered in the Jeffrey Bevan matter, was part payment of the outstanding amount.”
Half a million out of 2.45 Mil? Not too good, who got the rest, the wife who avoided conviction?
So much for asking for REPARATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So the 2 million question should be how was Mr. Bevan able to get away with it for over two years? How were there not checks and balances in place to stop this from happening? Has anything changed since then?
So nobody picked up that in a period of 2 years the over $2 Million was being taken from under our nose?
White collar crime is a JOKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That’s your co-workers for you , on both accounts !
Are supposed to be happy with a half million dollar return on 2.5 million stolen. Nothing to celebrate here.