Woman's seven-year sentence upheld for fake police school admissions scam

The Pichincha Court of Justice has unanimously ratified a seven-year prison sentence for Ana Belén M. M., who was found guilty of defrauding citizens by offering them fake admission spots to the Superior Police School in exchange for thousands of dollars.

The criminal proceedings established that the convicted woman harmed parents by charging $15,500 for each applicant seeking to join the institution. In one instance, a single victim paid a total of $46,500 under the promise that their son and two nephews would gain direct entry into the police academy's training program.

To build trust, the woman presented herself to victims as an engineer from the Ministry of the Interior's reception and records office. She also claimed her spouse was a captain and instructor, assuring a secure process for the young applicants. Payments and personal documents were exchanged on January 28, 2019, at the home of an eyewitness who was also a victim of the same scheme.

After months of silence regarding the applicants' enrollment, the accused summoned the main complainant on December 20, 2019, to the Ministry's facilities for a supposed formal interview, even providing details on attire. However, upon arrival, reception staff confirmed the accused did not work there, revealing the deception. During the appeal hearing, the defense argued that the initial court had misjudged evidence and questioned the existence of financial gain. The State Attorney General's Office countered these arguments with sworn testimonies from the primary victim and two other affected individuals, leading the provincial magistrates to dismiss the appeal and uphold the seven-year sentence.