‘She was just flossing’
- Former NCB manager Andrea Gordon lived lavishly with stolen millions - Investigators fear they may not be able to recover the $120 million she was convicted of stealing
Published:Sunday | May 28, 2023 | 2:05 AMLivern Barrett - Senior Staff Reporter
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Andrea Gordon made two cash transfers totalling $8.3 million in November and December 2017 from the coffers of her employer, the National Commercial Bank (NCB), to a car dealer for the purchase of a brand-new motor vehicle. One month later, in...
Andrea Gordon made two cash transfers totalling $8.3 million in November and December 2017 from the coffers of her employer, the National Commercial Bank (NCB), to a car dealer for the purchase of a brand-new motor vehicle.
One month later, in January 2018, Gordon – a senior manager at NCB at the time – wired another $3.7 million to a different company to purchase a second motor vehicle.
And by March that same year, she transferred another $2.9 million to a used-car dealer for the purchase of a third motor vehicle.
These transactions are just some examples of how Gordon, an $11-million a year executive, reportedly blew through almost $120 million she stole from her employer over a four-year period to finance a lavish lifestyle for herself and people close to her, according to new details from her fraud conviction.
“She was just flossing all over the place,” said a source close to the case, using a popular expression for showing off an extravagant lifestyle.
The Sunday Gleaner has taken the decision not to publish the names of the companies where she spent the stolen funds because authorities confirmed that there were no improprieties on their part.
The documents also revealed that, amid a multimillion-dollar renovation of her Havendale, St Andrew, home, Gordon transferred $475,000 from NCB in September 2018 to a company that trades in “unusual or exotic tiles”.
A month later, $605,000 was wired to another company that traded in tiles and other items used in home renovation.
Between July 2019 and April the following year, she sent $1.5 million in two transfers to a firm that supplies home appliances.
STEPPED OUT IN STYLE
Gordon stepped out in style, the documents revealed, reportedly shelling out hundreds of thousands of dollars on Brazilian and other wigs, jewelry, shoes, and other luxury accessories such as Gucci, Fendi, and Coach handbags, among others.
In most cases, the high-end items were purchased through e-commerce outlets using her credit card, which was being replenished monthly with money stolen from the bank, the documents showed.
“She changed them frequently and would just give away things she had worn a few times,” the source told The Sunday Gleaner, referring to the wigs.
“For Christmas, she bought and handed out expensive gifts such as Luis Vitton bags, Gucci clothes, and expensive colognes.”
The new details revealed, too, that Gordon bankrolled at least three “expensive” vacations per year for her family and inner circle to places like The Bahamas and resorts throughout the Caribbean.
Between August 2018 and March 2020, she had plunked down $764,900 for four getaways in Jamaica and other Caribbean destinations, according to the documents obtained by The Sunday Gleaner.
‘HIGHLY UNLIKELY SHE WILL HAVE SUFFICIENT AMOUNT OFF-HAND TO REPAY’
The Supreme Court, in a ruling last week, ordered that Gordon forfeit $119 million, money that will be turned over to NCB to help recoup its losses from the fraud.
She was also ordered to pay the Government a pecuniary penalty of $720,000 related to a motor vehicle she owned during the period of the fraud, the Financial Investigation Division (FID) announced last week.
The forfeiture order covers her Havendale, St Andrew, home, the FID said.
But there are fears that because of the “flossing”, there may not be sufficient items of value that can be liquidated to satisfy the $119 million debt.
The source close to the case disclosed that in light of the forfeiture order, an assessment is now being done to determine the extent of all assets registered in Gordon’s name.
“But based on what we have seen so far, it is highly unlikely she will have sufficient amount off-hand to repay all of it,” said the source, who requested to remain anonymous because they are not authorised to speak publicly about the case.
“We will explore to see what options are available to recover the funds.”
Investigations are also being conducted around assets purchased from the fraud and registered in the names of other people.
Gordon was convicted on fraud-related charges in 2021 and sentenced to seven and a half years in prison.
Her son, Odain Ffrench, and his father, Lloyd Ffrench, were also arrested on fraud charges related to the case. Their trial is pending.