WATCH: Bolt ‘still a hold firm’ one year after losing billions in SSL fraud
One year after the uncovering of a massive fraud scandal which robbed him of over US$12 million, Jamaican sprint legend Usain Bolt says he is still “fighting the fight” and “still a hold firm”.
He made the remarks in a cryptic post on social media Thursday, a year after the biggest fraud in Jamaica’s history, involving private securities dealer Stocks and Securities Limited (SSL), made headlines across the world.
In the video posted to Instagram, a somber-looking Bolt said, “Yo peeps, it’s been one year now… Just want you to know that mi deh here…. Still a fight the fight, still a stay strong.”
He went on to thank everyone who have supported him throughout the ordeal. He captioned the video, “One year ago today but just know still a hold firm.”
The multi-billion dollar scandal ensnared over 200 clients, including Bolt, who lost more than US$12 million or nearly J$2 billion.
Bolt appears to be the SSL client hardest hit, as while initial estimates had placed the fraud in the region of J$3 billion affecting between 30 and 40 clients, shortly after it was uncovered, that figure had ballooned to US$30 million or J$4 billion and involving over 200 clients domiciled in Jamaica and overseas by December, as reported by the Financial Investigation Division (FID).
Despite the ballooning fraud, and the expansive investigation involving the FID, Fraud Squad, the United States’ Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), a UK-based forensic firm and other agencies, just one individual, former wealth advisor Jean-Ann Panton, has been charged.
Panton confessed to stealing from clients’ accounts and has been charged with three counts of larceny as a servant, five counts of forgery, five counts of uttering forged documents, three counts of engaging in transaction involving criminal property, and three counts of breaching the Cybercrimes Act. Her case is currently before the Home Circuit Court.