Former Attorney Takes Plea Deal to Pay $1.8m & Serve Prison Time

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – A former attorney who stole $1.7 million from his clients has taken a plea deal that requires him to repay the money and serve 18 months in prison.

Ralph Jan Ward pleaded guilty to eight counts of stealing by reason of service and eight counts of fraudulent breach of trust when he appeared before Justice Cheryl Grant-Thompson, marking the second time he’s pleaded guilty to the offenses.

In 2011, Ward pleaded guilty to the charges before now-retired Justice Vera Watkins. He was allowed to remain on bail so that he could repay his victims.

However, there was no formal plea agreement—and Ward withdrew his guilty pleas when he returned to court to give an update on the status of the repayments.

Ward then launched a series of legal challenges aimed at stopping the trial completely.

First, he attacked the validity of the indictments. When that failed, Ward filed a constitutional motion claiming that he had not been tried within a reasonable time.

The Privy Council refused Ward leave to appeal last December.

Prior to his disbarment in 2009, Ward had a private practice in Saffrey Square.

Between 2006 and 2007, Ward misappropriated money entrusted to him by eight clients to complete property sales, prosecutors said.

Under the plea agreement, Ward has nine months to make restitution of $1,826,908.75, which includes 2.5 percent interest, to his victims.

At the end of the nine months, Ward will surrender to the court to be conveyed to the Bahamas Department of Corrections to begin serving his prison sentence.

On the other hand, if Ward defaults on the restitution payments, he will be jailed for four years.

In the meantime, Ward is free on $100,000 bail. As a condition of bail, Ward has to surrender his travel documents to the court; sign in at the Paradise Island Police Station on weekdays before 6pm and remain on New Providence.

Ward must also appear before Justice Cheryl Grant-Thompson at three-month intervals to update the court on the status of the restitution payments.

Ward is represented by Damien Gomez QC. Eucal Bonaby, Janet Munnings prosecuted.