A housekeeper, Maria Virgelina Taborda Henao, 71, is accused of stealing expensive jewelry from her employer, HRH Princess Firyal Irshaid, and selling it at auction, according to a court hearing. The prosecution claims that Taborda Henao used her position to steal items worth tens of thousands of pounds, including a wedding ring given to the princess by her husband, Prince Muhammad bin Talal, during their wedding in 1964. The princess believed the ring was lost until it was found among other allegedly stolen items at Taborda Henao's residence in Fulham, west London.
Taborda Henao is facing one count of theft at Southwark Crown Court. Her nephew, Julian Ramirez, who allegedly assisted in selling the stolen items, has reportedly fled to Colombia. Prosecutor Oliver Wellings presented evidence including Taborda Henao's access to the princess's possessions, the discovery of stolen property at her home, and financial transactions between her and Ramirez.
The court heard that Taborda Henao had been employed by the princess for over a decade and was left alone in the property when the princess returned to Jordan during the Covid-19 pandemic. In November 2020, the princess was informed by House of JAR jewellers in Paris that her jewelry had been auctioned without her consent. Following this, she contacted the police, leading to Taborda Henao's arrest and the recovery of several stolen items, including earrings and the wedding ring.
The prosecutor noted that the princess had considered her wedding ring lost and would not have willingly given it away. The investigation revealed that much of the princess's jewelry was missing upon her return to the UK, with only costume jewelry remaining. The auction manager testified that he had previously met Ramirez in 2019 when he sold a watch not belonging to the princess. Between June 2019 and November 2020, Ramirez allegedly transferred around £18,000 to Taborda Henao. Ramirez is believed to have left the UK in October 2023 while on police bail. Taborda Henao denies the theft charges.