Last night we had an update on a case of misappropriation at city hall. This is the case from February, when three staffers were accused of pilfering tens of thousands of dollars between November 2009 and February 2010 by removing records of payments from the system and pocketing the money.
The police press release issued this weekend said that the City Administrator Dr. Kiran Vanjani reported between the 25th November 2009 and 2nd February, 2010, monies at City Hall were misappropriated by Farah Jones to the tune of BZ$30,191.00 and Marvin James - his total was $31,265.00. The release also disclosed that Keera Ford allegedly spearheaded the scam by manipulating the Administrative Tax System.
So there it is, right? Sixty one thousand dollars in public funds whisked away - and according to the report, Farah Jones has half of it. Except, she says she doesn't and by looking at how she's living - on death's doorstep - we tended to agree. Here's her story.
Jules Vasquez
"Farah Jones allegedly misappropriated the sum of $30, 191.50. What was your reaction when you heard it on the news or read it in the newspaper?"
Farah Jones, Accused of misappropriation
"My reaction was that it was bogus because I don't have that kind of money. I have never had that kind of money for myself personally. If I did I would not be in this condition that I am today. "
Jules Vasquez
"Explain what kind of condition are you in?"
Farah Jones
"I am a dialysis patient and I have renal kidney failure. I need to do dialysis twice a week. My dialysis is $680.00 for one session. With my luck the government is paying for those sessions. I also need medication to time that I am not getting. So If I had that money, I would have had a kidney."
This mother of two lives in relative poverty here on Antelope Street and says she's got nothing left to lose.
Farah Jones
"I have no reason to lie any at all Jules because I have nothing else to lose. I lost my credibility from the day this situation came about. I have nothing else to lose. I am dying and a lot of people don't know that. Right where I am I need blood on a constant basis. Every time I do dialysis I need at least two pints of blood to do dialysis. Last week my blood count was at 4; my blood type is A-. I fell down right at the commercial center. "
She says she knows what happened. She claims she was set-up and it started when she was on maternity leave.
Farah Jones
"My workstation is being used whenever when I am not there. You have one person mainly on the system that was Marvin James. He had all access to whatever I had access to and I do not have any other access to anything else on the computer but the cashier system. I received a phone call when I came back to work."
Jules Vasquez
"What month? What year?"
Farah Jones
"I came back in December 2009. I was working the day, I could recall it was a Monday. I got a phone call from someone with a private number. The person told me that if I knew money was coming out of my cash on a regular basis. I told him I don't know what you are talking about. He informed me that Marvin James and Keera Ford has been doing it since I went on maternity leave which was in June. They were getting cash from out of the cash pan. I went to Keera personally and ask Keera if she knew about the situation. Keera says she don't know anything, that it was a prank. "
But it was no prank and it all came to a head on February 11, 2010.
Farah Jones
"When she (the mayor) called me upstairs to ask me about the monies. I told her what I knew."
She also signed a confession.
Farah Jones
"I did not hide anything. I told them what I know, the Mayor asked me to write a confession and in return she would let me keep my job. After I wrote the confession and we went to the police station she sent me a letter stating that I am no longer employed with the City Council. "
Jules Vasquez
"What did you confess to?"
Farah Jones
"On what I knew. I made a confession about what I knew and about the $2,000.00 that Keera gave me."
Jules Vasquez
"So you confessed to knowing that there was fraudulent activity in your department."
Farah Jones
"Yes."
Jules Vasquez
"But did you confess that you participated in such activity?"
Farah Jones
"No I didn't."
Jules Vasquez
"Now you saw money being handed over in the Mayor's office?"
Farah Jones
"Yes."
Jules Vasquez
"Marvin and Keera you are saying refunded $13,000.00. You saw them hand it over in the office?
Farah Jones
"Yes."
Jules Vasquez
"And why didn't you hand over any?"
Farah Jones
"Because I didn't have, I personally did not have any money. I explained to the Mayor that I don't have any money. She asks me about the $2,000.00 that Keera gave me, I told her I used it for my dialysis. "
She says that $2,000.00 is the extent of her involvement and claims if she had more money she would have a new kidney and a chance at life.
Farah Jones
"I need a kidney transplant. Without that I don't have any other option."
Jules Vasquez
"How much is it for a kidney transplant?"
Farah Jones
"Apparently I need $35,000.00 in order to do that transplant. I need $5,000.00 alone to do a cross-match if I get anybody to donate a kidney."
Jules Vasquez
"So then do you find it particularly painful?"
Farah Jones
"If I had that I would not be renting a room. I just look at this as a bad year, this is one of the obstacles in my life. I am trying my best to get over it. I don't know if I could be strong enough to get over it but I will try my best."
And as for the Council....
Farah Jones
"This has been going from before I was there and it is still going on right now. There will be no stop to it until the people who are in charge is moved. It will not stop. We have a situation that I know of two of their workers have a receipt that is not stamp by City Council and is collecting moneys from other people. That scandal will not stop. They have fired a couple guys before for the same situation and these people were not even charged. It was not even brought up on the news it was more than $60,000.00."
While the issuing of the police report suggested that charges are imminent, our information is that it may still be some time before that happens. As for Farah Jones, she says she will fight to prove her innocence, even though she can't afford an attorney.
