Opposition Leader Comments on US $23 Million A.I.B.L./F.T.C. Settlement
On Tuesday, a district court in the United States released details of the twenty-three million dollar settlement that the Barrow Administration, along with liquidator Julian Murillo and F.T.C. officials, to have charges brought against Atlantic International Bank limited forfeited. The bank is accused of facilitating the Sanctuary Belize scam that promised more than a thousand American investors, luxury parcels of land in southern Belize. But instead, the investors were jilted of hundreds of thousands of dollars. The scam which was perpetrated by Andris Pukke, Luke Chadwick and key Belizean players swindled investors out of more than one hundred million dollars. The scam left Belize with an international black eye, scaring off potential future investors. It also led to the closure of A.I.B.L. which was also ordered to cease and desist from any and all operations. Today, Opposition Leader John Briceño called on Prime Minister Dean Barrow to look into the scam deeper so that someone can be held responsible.
John Briceño
John Briceño, Leader of the Opposition
“The devil is in the details and we have to find out more of what really is taking place and that it has not affect, that tax payers are not required to take out monies from the government coffers, Central Bank’s coffers to pay. So congratulations to the Prime Minister. We never expected that to happen but we are still need to see what is taking place. What is important is that the Prime Minister needs to hold somebody responsible for what happened. The F.I.U. alerted the Central Bank and the Central Bank did nothing. That there was a settlement, I am happy for the people who were scammed that at least there are going to get something. Now we need to ask what is going to happen to the depositors, the people that put or placed or deposited their money in Atlantic International Bank Limited in good faith thinking that they were putting their monies in a safe back and that they were going to be able to use it for investment or retirement. That also is of grave concern.”
