St. Croix Woman Faces Charges in Alleged Rental Car Fraud Scheme

In a recent development on St. Croix, 37-year-old Laurissa S. Knight has been taken into custody, facing allegations of fraudulent activities tied to a car rental transaction. The Virgin Islands Police Department (VIPD) has charged her with obtaining money under false pretenses and grand larceny, following a report from Hop In Car Rentals. Knight’s arrest was executed seamlessly by the VIPD’s Economic Crimes Unit on a Tuesday morning at precisely 8:13.

The investigation into Knight’s actions was initiated on October 27, 2023, after Hop In Car Rentals highlighted a financial irregularity with a vehicle rented from May 6 to May 25, 2023. The crux of the case revolves around Knight’s payment of $885 for the vehicle rental using her Banco Popular Visa Debit Card, and her subsequent claim to Banco Popular stating the card was lost and disputing the charge as unauthorized.

Upon completion of its investigation, Banco Popular refunded Knight the full $885. However, she did not remit this amount to Hop In Car Rentals, resulting in a financial loss for the company.

The issuance of an arrest warrant led to Knight’s subsequent detention by the authorities. Following her arrest, she was processed at the Wilbur H. Francis Command Police Station.

Knight is currently detained at the John A. Bell Correctional Facility, awaiting her Advise of Rights hearing. This hearing is scheduled for Wednesday at 9:00 A.M. at the V.I. Superior Court, where Knight will formally hear the charges laid against her.