‘What a wickedness!’

A 68-year-old pensioner, who has been experiencing chronic knee pain for the past two years, is accusing Scotiabank Jamaica of withholding millions from her ScotiaMint account, which she desperately needs to pay for knee replacement surgery.

Theresa Gates*, a retired nurse and returning resident, claimed she was blocked from borrowing against her insurance and from withdrawing sums after the bank told her in 2012 that she owed monies for a $2-million loan, which she denied borrowing.

The woman also alleged that a loan officer had encashed her insurance to repay the $2-million loan and that she was told that $600,000 was returned to the account but she has never even seen a dollar.

Further, Gates claimed that an investigation was launched by the bank and the matter was cleared up, and she was promised a settlement from 2018, but is yet to receive any funds from the bank.

Since that time, Gates said her knee problems have got worse and she is now unable to move around on her own and has to be using a wheelchair.

The surgery, Gates said, which is required on both knees, costs around US$55,000, inclusive of aftercare services.

“My money has been there in limbo and I need to get my foot looked after and can’t even move around as I suppose to move around. Plus I had a stroke and nearly died. When you have $4.9 million in your name and want to do something for $5 million and can’t even get it, oh my God! what a wickedness. Me sit down and bawl morning, noon, and night like a pauper, like me nuh have nothing, and this is something that I have worked hard for,” she said.

Contacted by The Sunday Gleaner regarding the issue, Scotiabank responded that it was unable to divulge any information due to “customer privacy policy”.

However, since this newspaper made enquiries, the bank has reached out to Gates.

“Since receiving the complaint, we have been in touch with [the customer] and sincerely regret the inconvenience caused to her,” the bank said in a response sent by Danielle Savory, manager of public affairs and communication. “We take all customer concerns seriously and we are working to provide a resolution for this matter in the shortest possible time.”

MISSED FIVE APPOINTMENTS

The elderly woman said she missed five appointments in Miami, Florida, after initially postponing her surgery in 2020 and returning to Jamaica to get funds from the bank, only to be disappointed.

Prior to being told about the $2-million loan, Gates said she had borrowed two loans in 2005 against her ScotiaMint, which she opened in 2004 with $1.9 million.

But Gates claimed that she repaid both loans, which had amounted to $1.2 million, and initially thought the outstanding loan was in relation to the two previous ones, as the interest for both was $800,000.

“When I opened it, I opened it with $1.9 million and eventually every month they took $65,000 out of my savings account to put towards the Mint until it reached $4.9 million,” she told The Sunday Gleaner, adding that she was also paying a similar amount for the loans.

“So, I paid back all that I had borrowed and all of a sudden, I went to the bank to check on my Mint and I understand that there was a gentleman called (name withheld) stating that I owe the bank $2 million,” she said.

According to Gates, when she confronted her loan officer, “He said ‘Mrs ...., that is a mistake and the bank knows that it is a mistake and they need to give you back yuh money because you didn’t borrow nuh $2 million’.”

INVESTIGATION LAUNCHED

The woman said an investigation was launched after she met with the bank manager at the head office in downtown Kingston and that same manager referred her to the investigator, who she alleged told her that the bank was going to settle the matter.

However, she claimed that in 2020, when she returned to Jamaica after postponing her surgery to obtain more funds and checked with the manager, she was not able to tell her anything conclusive about the return of her money and as a result, she tried to access a loan but was denied.

Gates said the loan officer, who she had approached at the time, told her that she had money in her ScotiaMint and that she should email the manager, but she said the email bounced.

Gates said the bank later changed management and since then, as recently as last week, she has been trying to reach the new manager but with no success. She added that she is being further hampered by her inability to move about freely.

“And every time I try to get on to her by phone, they put me on to a bank in Colombia, they put me on to the bank in Dom Rep, all over the place I’ve been going, and I cannot speak to the woman.

“You end up in Mexico, or somebody in Texas answers and just like that is how it’s been going on,” she said, adding that she eventually got a response and left a message for the bank manager.

“Until now I have not heard from this person, and nobody has called me back,” she said; however, the bank reached out to her after The Sunday Gleaner contacted them last week.

“All I know is that the money is supposed to be there and I can’t get back my money and that money has grown interest over the years and every month they take $60,000 something out of my savings accounts,” Gates claimed.

UNTOLD PAIN AND SUFFERING

According to the elderly lady, the problems she has faced have caused her untold pain and suffering.

“This thing mek me get sick cause this money mek me lose me health because I was up and down downtown giving statements thinking that I would get back my money because it doesn’t take those people more than a couple minutes to take my money but it has been taking me years to get back my money,” she said.

“I wanted to fix all my vehicle but caa fix mi vehicle because I couldn’t get the money to use and I had that money.

“I actually got a stroke at that time and if it wasn’t for my children dem, I don’t know how I would eat or drink, so it caused my health to deteriorate. I had never been so stressed in all my life.”

Gates claimed that the stress and pain was so bad that she thought of dying.

“They dredged me, they drained me so till. If me never mind sharp me wud kill meself but me naa kill meself over money, nothing in this world nuh frighten mi. Nuh food, nuh money, nuh house, nothing nuh frighten me, cause if me live under one tree, me we draw one tent under it and live,” she said.

“When I go to the bank to get the money and carried me house title and realise that I can’t get the money to do the operation, me say what’s the use of me living because the pain was so excruciating and me money at the bank and me caa get no money off the title cause dem see where I have money in a the bank on the Mint.”

DOWN BUT NOT OUT

“Me nuh give up but I got very despondent, but I just try don’t lose my spirit although some days I might be down,” Gates stated.

“I am down but not out and I am going to make a comeback, by the Grace of Almighty God,” she declared, noting that she is undergoing acupuncture treatment to help ease the pain.

According to Gates, she had reached the point where she was considering bringing the matter to the Major Organised Crime & Anti-Corruption Agency, but the pensioner said she is agreeable with settling the matter with Scotiabank and will be giving them another four months to finally bring the issue to a close.

“I was so sick I could hardly help myself but I came around from 2020. I have been going through a warm time, a really terrible time and I would love to get back my money and stop this foolishness, because if I have to go to court in a wheelchair, I will,” she threatened.

[*Name changed to protect identity]

tanesha.mundle@gleanerjm.com