A former exotic dancer from the US who stole $1.4 million from the Bermuda Government has launched an appeal.

Teketa Thompkins — found guilty by a jury last year — received the money from her Bermudian boyfriend Harrison Isaac Jr who masterminded the fraud. Her trial in New York heard how she laundered the dirty cash and spent it like she'd hit the lottery jackpot. Isaac, 36, who abused his role as a Management Accountant in the Accountant General's Department to commit the crime, had previously pleaded guilty and been jailed for more than four-and-a-half years. He illegally siphoned $2 million in total from an Internet account the Accountant General's Department held with the Bank of New York and wired the cash to Thompkins and others during 2003 and 2004.

The swindle was the biggest ever against the Bermuda Government, but both defendants were dealt with by a court in New York due to the looted account being based in Wall Street. Thompkins, 34, was arrested at Bermuda Airport smuggling $26,000 in her underwear, which led the authorities to catch Isaac. The jury that found her guilty heard the former exotic dancer and US soldier claim she had no idea the $1.4 million she received from him was stolen. She was sentenced to four years behind bars, but issued papers appealing the conviction and sentence last month. With the US Government ordered to file papers by October 17, the appeal is likely to be heard by a three-judge panel before the end of the year.

At a hearing in July, Thompkins was ordered by Judge Laura Taylor Swain to forfeit a sum of $1,000,000 to the US Government, representing the proceeds she obtained from her crime. Her forfeiture obligation runs jointly with a similar order already made against Isaac.

Meanwhile, she is yet to actually report to jail. Judge Swain ruled that because she has two young children, she does not have to report to prison until March 7, 2008 at the latest in order to prepare her family for her absence.