The jury in the trial of a woman accused of participating in a $1.4 million fraud against the Bermuda Government has been sent home for the weekend without reaching a verdict.

Teketa Thompkins, 33, is alleged to have received, spent and laundered cash that her Bermudian boyfriend Harrison Isaac Jr. looted from a Government account.

Isaac, 35, who abused his position at the Accountant General's Department to steal the money, was jailed earlier this year.

In evidence to Thompkins' trial ? being heard in New York because the raided account was based in Wall Street ? Isaac said she knew nothing of the criminal scheme.

Her lawyer, Paul Madden, has also told the jury Isaac duped his client into believing the cash sums he sent her were legitimate earnings. She denies nine fraud-related charges that she faces.

However, prosecutors say Thompkins, a former exotic dancer from Georgia, knew Isaac had illegally gained the money she received.

Judge Laura Taylor Swain sent the jury hearing the case at the US District Court in Manhattan to consider its verdict yesterday lunchtime.

When they had not reached a decision after four and a half hours, she told them to return to the court on Monday to continue deliberating.