Jamaica: St Catherine man pleads guilty for taking $1M for car he never owned

Jamaica: A man from St Catherine who took more than $1 million from another man to buy an automobile but did not, on Tuesday, September 2, 2025, pleaded guilty in the parish court. The suspect, Patrick Rennie was charged with “obtaining money by false pretense.”

The defendant pleaded guilty to the charge when he made an appearance before Acting Parish Court Judge, Janelle Nelson-Gayle. He is currently in police custody and will be sentenced during his next court appearance on October 17, 2025.

Following this, Rennie was ordered by the court to present his fingerprints to the authorities. Also the judge requested for a social report into the accused’s past which included any prior criminal offenses.

Details of the incident

The facts shared with the courts include the fact that Rennie was given $1.4 million on March 23, 2021, to purchase a 2016 Toyota Probox motor car on behalf of the complainant. However, Rennie failed to deliver the vehicle despite collecting the funds.

Repeated efforts by the complainant to return to his car or his money were unsuccessful. The victim reported that Rennie not only failed to deliver what was agreed between them, but also became increasingly evasive. Fed up with the situation, the complainant reported the matter to the police.

After a thorough investigation, Rennie was arrested and charged legally. He appeared a number of times before the parish court, where he initially denied any wrongdoing, but eventually pleaded guilty on September 2, 2025.

As Rennie awaits his sentence, issues of motor vehicle fraud remain a major problem in Jamaica. The investigation in this case remains ongoing, as the police continue to collect more evidence.