by Katherine Renton
A woman who worked as a housekeeper abroad returned home with only US$100 in her purse after her deceiving ‘friend’ bled her dry over the course of a few months.
In order to extract EC$24,669.55 from her friend, Chanesta Brazel weaved a web of lies using the names of a practicing gynaecologist and a lawyer; managing fake social media accounts; dragging the victim’s ex-boyfriend into the mix with claims of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), and sending fake medication (vitamins) to the victim.
When the mask came off and Brazel was faced with the enormity of the evidence against her, she attempted to destroy evidence by flushing some money transfer receipts at the police station.
The court had a strong message to send after hearing all the facts, and last week Wednesday, June 8, Chief Magistrate, Rechanne Browne imprisoned the first time offender for one year and five months out of the two years maximum allowed in law.
Brazel’s devious plans were executed between December 22, 2021, and May 29, 2022.
According to police investigations, the 49 year old victim of Lowmans Hill knows Brazel through her ex-boyfriend who is Brazel’s relative. They were good friends.
On December 22, 2021, the victim left to go to the United States of America (USA) on vacation and during this time she worked as a housekeeper.
While in America she was still in communication with Brazel via Whatsapp and telephone.
The first step that Brazel took in her deception was having the victim believe that her (the victim’s) ex-boyfriend had tested positive for various types of STDs.
Having convinced her of this, Brazel then assured the victim that she would ask a gynaecologist (who she named), who was a personal friend, to assist with private treatment. Brazel also told the victim that she would give her phone number to the said gynaecologist.
After this discussion the victim received a message from an unknown number, being the purported gynaecologist that Brazel mentioned. However, this gynaecologist was really Brazel posing as a doctor. The gynaecologist/Brazel told the victim that her ex-boyfriend visited the doctor’s office and said that she (the victim) had given him STDs and that he was going to file a case against her.
Having learnt this, the victim sought advice from her ‘friend’ Brazel, who told her that she knows someone who can “throw out” the case but she would need EC$200 for this.
Believing her friend, the victim sent this sum via Western Union.
In addition, every month from that point, Brazel caused the victim to send her EC$4,000 for medication to treat her ‘STDs’.
Four such payments were made.
However, Brazel was not finished with the victim. Using her persona as a gynaecologist, the deceiver informed the victim that her ex-boyfriend had made good on his word that he would take her to court.
The fake doctor also said that the victim would need to retain a lawyer for both of them.
The unsuspecting woman then took this information to her ‘friend’ Brazel, and Brazel was ready with the offer to engage a lawyer (she named a specific one) on her behalf. However, Brazel said this lawyer would cost EC$2500, and requested that this sum be sent via Western Union.
The deception continued when Brazel told the victim she needed to send EC$2000 because she (the victim) had been fined by the court. Her made-up reason on this occasion was that the victim had lost the first of three court hearings.
With the threat of the law at her door, the victim did not hesitate to comply.
So that she would not be caught, Brazel falsely told her victim that the court had ordered her to not come within 100 yards of the gynaecologist’s office and to have no contact with the ex-boyfriend.
When she wasn’t sending money via Western Union, the victim was asking for help from family and friends on St Vincent.
There came a time when the Lowmans Hill woman became suspicious and decided to return home. On April 4, 2022, she visited the office of the named gynaecologist to seek information and everything unravelled.
A report was made to the police and Corporal 296 Davis took on the case. He invited Brazel into the police station and during an interview the Sion Hill resident admitted all.
Before the Serious Offences Court last week, Brazel said, “This is my very first time concerning, well dealing with anything like this, even being in court and I am pleading upon the mercies of the court and I’m very sorry for what I did, I know it’s not right but I have learned from my mistakes and I promise to be a much better person.”
She said she apologized to the victim and she will continue to apologize to everyone she hurt in the process.
It was then the turn of the Prosecutor, Station Sergeant, Renrick Cato to speak and he pointed out that none of the money had been recovered.
Cato also disclosed that there were many receipts from Western Union in the possession of the police, and the defendant had taken three of these, asked to use the wash room and flushed them. These were however recovered.
“I was nervous and I was scared,” the defendant interjected.
The magistrate asked her what the money was used on.
She said that it was for medical issues and that she has papers to show this.
The prosecutor continued that Brazel had used the names of real persons.
The magistrate agreed that she brought the names of reputable persons into disrepute, also telling the defendant, “You have brought the whole justice system into disrepute with your falsehoods.”
The police officer pointed out that the offence was well planned in that an order was made to stay away from persons who could incriminate Brazel.
