Turtle Farm dismisses staff for theft

(CMR) Cayman Turtle Conservation and Education Centre Ltd. (CTCEC) has discovered a significant amount of its cash from several revenue sources has gone missing and has terminated Rachel Ann Jefferson as a result. She has not been on the job since February of this year whilst investigations were taking place.

Tim Adam, issued a short statement Thursday evening explaining that the missing money was discovered during the course of a 2016/17 audit. He explained that a member of staff was initially suspended while an independent audit firm was engaged to conduct a forensic investigation spanning several years of records.

The Company’s Managing Director Mr. Tim Adam explained:

“This situation of missing cash was revealed in our Finance Department during the course of our 2016/17 audit. We have promptly made initial reports to the Commercial Crime Branch of the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service, our Board of Directors, and our legal counsel.

The Office of the Auditor General informed the Anti-Corruption Commission. A member of staff was immediately suspended and an independent audit firm was engaged to conduct a forensic investigation spanning several years of records.

They have now completed that detailed investigation and produced their report. The report and other relevant details are being shared with the RCIPS Commercial Crime Branch. The evidence from that report has led to the termination of employment of the staff member who had been suspended. The management of CTCEC will continue to liaise with the police crime detectives pursuing this matter. So as not to jeopardize the proper conduct of the criminal investigation, that is as much as we can state to the public at this time.”

CMR sources indicate that the forensic audit was carried about by KMPG for the past several months and that she has been allegedly taking funds since 2013.

Photo: Jefferson is picture in the pink sweater. CMR sources indicate that she worked in the finance department and that she was stealing from staff through her payroll duties there. She has been there since at least 2010 when she was referred for the job by a former West Bay politician.