James Jensen, 56, a Canadian businessman of San Pedro Town, has been remanded until April 24 on charges of theft and obtaining property by deception after an American couple filed a report alleging that Jensen had conned them out of US$50,000, which they had paid for land in Punta Gorda Town.
Robert Martin told police that on November 12, 2008, he wired the money to Jensen’s Alliance Bank account to purchase the land. However, after some time, Jensen was unable to provide documentation to prove he had purchased the land, and investigations led to Martin finding out that the land belonged to someone else.
According to the San Pedro Sun newspaper, Jensen was unable to account for the money he had received, and was not able to prove that the documentation was being processed, as he claimed, at the Lands Department in Belmopan. Police say Jensen had promised to return the money, but failed to do so.
As a result, the couple and their attorney, Godfrey Smith, filed a formal complaint in Belize City and police issued a warrant for Jensen. He was apprehended in San Pedro on March 23, charged and appeared in court late Monday.
The charges are indictable and no plea was taken.