The Queen of Reggae Marcia Griffiths is the latest local celebrity to fall victim to scam.
The iconic reggae singer is facing a legal battle after she claimed that a man defrauded her of almost $5 million. The man, who has been identified as Ray Morgan, is alleged to have defrauded her through a real estate deal.
He has been charged with obtaining money by means of false pretense and is expected to appear before the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court in Half-Way-Tree on September 8.
According to reports, Morgan told Marcia Griffiths that he and his partners could lend her US$500,000 to purchase a property. However, before they could go ahead and lend her the money, the former Bob Marley and the Wailers supporting singer was instructed to pay US$30,000 plus $250,000 for fees and stamp duty.
After she complied with the payments, the iconic Jamaican singer realized something was wrong. In a sign that Morgan will probably acknowledge his guilt in the matter, his attorney has already told Judge Lori-Anne Cole-Montaque that his client will be making restitution to Griffiths, the Observer reported.
Morgan also seems to be a well-known fraudster as he served 12 years in prison on four counts of fraud in the past.
The renowned reggae singer was born in West Kingston, Jamaica, and started her career in 1964, performing on stage with Byron Lee and the Dragonaires. After an impressive debut on stage, Marcia Griffiths decided to record for Dodd’s Studio One label.
In 1968 she had her first success as a solo artist with “Feel Like Jumping.” From there, she built a very successful career and is known for singing with the greats of reggae music over the years.
