'Romance scams are particularly nasty' says Craigavon judge after Co Armagh woman admits transferring criminal property
“Romance scams are particularly nasty” a Craigavon judge says after a Portadown woman admitted transferring criminal property.
Ireen Tan Feliz Martinez, aged 46, of Bachelor’s Avenue, appeared before Craigavon Magistrates Court on Friday and pleaded guilty to transferring criminal property between November 28, 2023 and December 5, 2023.
-
-
Police received a report of a potential fraud in March 2024 from the injured party who resides in England.
"She disclosed she had been subject to a form of romance scam. The victim received an email purporting to be from the army which stated they pay £3,450. The victim paid that money into various accounts and £820 of that went into an account in the name of the defendant,” a Prosecutor revealed.
"The money in the account was then transferred to other bank accounts in different names,” the Prosecutor told the court, adding the defendant was interviewed and admitted transferring money.
The Prosecutor said the defendant was asked for the money, on Instagram, to be sent to her. She stated she didn’t earn any extra money “as a result of allowing that person to receive that money”.
Her barrister Mr John Paul McCann said his client was only involved in the single amount of £820. “She never had any direct contact with the complainant in this case which was part of a romance scam.
“She naively got sucked in by an individual who she’d met online. She derived absolutely no financial benefit from this transaction whatsoever,” said Mr McCann, adding that Martinez said she was “suspicious” but “wasn't certain”.
The barrister said his client has no criminal record and has been living in this jurisdiction for 21 years and has an 18-year-old daughter.
He said she is married and works plus she has no health issues and no addiction issues. “This was just a foolish mistake and naivety on her part,” he said.
District Judge Michael Ranaghan said: “Romance scams are particularly nasty as they focus on the vulnerable. But you are somewhere down the ladder of offending in terms of culpability.”
She was fined £300 plus £15 Offender Levy and given 15 weeks to pay.