A woman accused of forging checks from the Office of the Territorial Public Defender will not be represented by the agency she’s charged with targeting, court records posted Monday show.
Vashti Gumbs, of St. Thomas, allegedly tried to cash two fraudulent checks from the Territorial Public Defender totaling more than $130,000, according to court records.
Gumbs, an aspiring 23-year-old actress, presented a $51,300 check payable to herself at first Bank’s Waterfront branch on Aug. 1, police said. The check appeared to bear the signature of Commissioner of Finance Kevin McCurdy — who is not a signatory on the Public Defender’s account, according to court records.
Gumbs allegedly left while alert bank staff were questioning the check’s authenticity. Bank staff notified Virgin Islands Police Department officers who reviewed surveillance footage Aug. 5.
She returned on Aug. 8 carrying her 9-month-old daughter and another check supposedly from the Public Defender, this time in the amount of $80,543, according to court records. Bank staff told Gumbs they needed to get the money from downstairs, then phoned police.
Police double checked with officials at the Territorial Public Defender that the check was indeed bogus before arresting Gumbs on two counts of passing forged bills.
Police allowed Gumbs to phone the baby’s father, who came to the bank for the child.
Gumbs told police two men had put her up to the alleged crime. She said they had created the checks and promised her $10,000 if she were able to collect on them, according to court records.
Gumbs was held on $55,000 bail and remanded to the Bureau of Corrections.
Territorial Public Defenders Julie Todman and Zarije Asani wrote to the Superior Court Monday saying, as the intended victim, the Public Defender’s office could not represent Gumbs.
