Tanya Latoya Walters Powell

Findings — machine-extracted (anthropic-batch:claude-opus-4-8); verify against the decision

The Disciplinary Committee found the Respondent, Tanya Walters-Powell, guilty of professional misconduct for breaching Canons iv(r), vii(b)(ii) and 1(b), after client funds were lost to a cybercrime/online fraud. The panel expressly found no dishonesty but held she failed to be diligent in protecting client funds and, as a fiduciary, was responsible for the total loss. Rejecting her plea for a reprimand, the Committee ordered restitution of JMD 9,307,982.77 with 3% interest from 24 July 2018, plus costs of JMD 250,000, all payable within 6 months.

Duties found breached:

• Good faith and courtesy to colleagues

Aggravating factors:

• Complainant deprived of use of funds for around three and a half years
• Failure to be diligent in protecting herself and clients against cybercrime
• Failure to be prompt/proactive in retrieving funds or having the scam investigated

Mitigating factors:

• Remorse expressed for the loss
• Offer of 50% of sale proceeds made to Complainant (rejected)
• Efforts to raise funds to repay
• Character evidence from two attorneys attesting to good character
• Both parties were victims of cybercrime/fraud
• No dishonesty found