US woman faces £130,00 fraud charges after extradition
An American woman has appeared in court in Newtownards after she was extradited from the United States to face charges of theft and fraud.
Marianne Smyth, 54, who has an address on the Spa Road, Ballynahinch, County Down, faces allegations of theft and fraud by abuse of position amounting to about £130,000.
The indictment against her alleges she defrauded six people - two individuals and two couples.
According to a police statement ahead of Ms Smyth’s court appearance, the offences are alleged to have been committed between March 2008 and October 2010.
The charges allege that while occupying a position in which she was expected to safeguard, or not to act against, the financial interests of the complainants, Ms Smyth “dishonestly abused that position in that you failed to invest money as promised, with the intention, by means of the abuse of that position to make a gain for yourself or another or to cause loss”.
Following her arrest in February, she was subjected to extradition proceedings in a US court before a judge ordered her return to Northern Ireland.
A defence solicitor confirmed on Tuesday that he was not lodging an application for bail.
Ms Smyth was remanded in custody and the case was adjourned until a preliminary enquiry at Downpatrick Magistrate's Court on 18 July.
