A Brazilian woman and an American man were charged in a magistrates court yesterday with scamming three major Bahamian resorts and four stores of nearly $100,000 during their month-long vacation in The Bahamas.­ Lunaite Palmeria, 28, and John Forrest, 50, were arraigned on nearly 30 counts of credit by false pretense charges.

It is alleged that the pair carried out the scam at the Sheraton Nassau Beach Resort on Cable Beach, the Riu hotel on Paradise Island and the Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island. At the Sheraton resort, Palmeria and Forrest are alleged to have incurred a debt of $19,306.77 between November 5 and November 19.

Police said the pair did so using a stolen credit card. At Atlantis, they are accused of incurring debts that add up to $55,349.98 during 14 different occasions between November 19 and December 2.

It is alleged that in one day alone, they racked up debt at Atlantis of $17,733,82. Forrest is charged alone with incurring a debt at the Riu hotel of $8,070.00. Together, they are also accused of defrauding three Marina Village businesses.

It is alleged that they incurred a debt of $7,013 at Calypso Carousel; $716.64 at Parana Joe's; $53 at Oh Sugar; and $7,462.45 at Will & Ives. In total, the pair allegedly racked up a $97,971.84 debt in The Bahamas.

Palmeria pleaded guilty to all 27 charges, while Forrest pleaded not guilty to all of his charges. The pair were arraigned before Magistrate Guilimina Archer in court 10 on Nassau Street.

The defendants were represented by attorney Tai Pinder. The matter has been adjourned until December 9 to give the prosecution enough time to review the facts. The magistrate remanded Palmeria and Forrest into custody.

Click here to read more at The Nassau Guardian