The Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) and the Financial Investigations Division (FID) have clarified that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is in fact involved in the probe of the massive fraud at Stocks and Securities Limited (SSL).
The announcement came after Julian Robinson, opposition spokesman on finance, raised questions about the FBI’s involvement in the case, following statements made by the head of the Counter Terrorism and Organised Crime Investigation Branch (CTOC) last Friday.
CTOC head, Assistant Commissioner of Police Anthony McLaughlin, had stated that local law enforcement had the capacity to conduct the investigation and did not require the assistance of the FBI at this time.
The JCF and FID have clarified that McLaughlin’s comments were specifically in reference to the local aspects of the Fraud Squad investigation that led to the initial charges against the accused in the case, Jean-Ann Panton, and not to the wider dimensions of the SSL probe.
The JCF and FID have since issued a statement to the media apologising for any confusion caused, and affirming that the FBI has been officially engaged in the SSL case since January 2023, as previously announced by Finance Minister Dr Nigel Clarke. The law enforcement entities stated that the case is complex due to the length of time, the number of transactions, and the number of accounts involved, and that the FBI’s involvement has already been beneficial in shedding light on the extent of the fraud.
The JCF and FID sought to assure the public that all investigative steps are being taken, and that all tools and regulatory protocols are being applied to the case. The investigation is ongoing, they said, with a view to identifying all connected parties and bringing them to justice.
The SSL fraud is believed to involve at least J$3 billion, impacting at least 40 clients, including sprint legend Usain Bolt, who was fleeced of approximately US$12.7 million or nearly J$2 billion.
READ: Opposition calls for an update on FBI Involvement in SSL Investigation
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