Former Cost Pro Employee Convicted of 25 Counts of Forgery

Edwin Ireland, a former storeroom clerk at Cost Pro supermarket, has been found guilty of 25 counts of forgery and uttering by a servant following a judge-alone trial in the High Court on December 6.

Justice Ann Marie Smith determined that the prosecution successfully proved its case based on a preponderance of evidence.

The trial, which began on October 25, involved testimony from 14 customs officers and Cost Pro employees, revealing fraud involving falsified customs container inspection receipts.

Between 2019 and 2020, Ireland, who was responsible for paying Customs Officers for container inspections, systematically forged receipts and collected thousands of dollars in cash. The supermarket’s internal processes were found to be critically flawed, with the head cashier routinely issuing cash without verifying signatures or dates.

Key evidence demonstrated that Ireland manipulated the system by forging signatures on customs receipts, writing incorrect container temperatures to increase fees and submitting receipts for payment without proper verification.

A forensic fingerprint expert, Dr. Alvin Langley, substantiated the customs officers’ claims that signatures on the receipts were forged. The fraud was ultimately discovered on August 19, 2020, when Ireland submitted receipts showing an overpayment of $200 to a Customs Officer.

Ireland’s sentencing is scheduled for January 17, 2025, following a sentencing brief on January 13. In the interim, he will remain in His Majesty’s Prison on remand.