
Former Premier of Bermuda Craig Cannonier enjoys a laugh with his successor Michael Dunkley (l) weeks after the transition. (Photo: Ayo Johnson)
Bermuda Police Service has yet to conclude its investigation into the JetGate affair.
In July, just days after Thad Hollis then Chairman of Bermuda’s governing party One Bermuda Alliance concluded an internal investigation, police announced the start of an investigation by its Financial Crimes Unit to determine whether any criminal wrongdoing had taken place in relation to money sent by a group of US businessman to a Bermuda bank account linked to the OBA.
Hollis confirmed reports reaching Politica that he was among the first to be invited to be interviewed by police.
We understand that police had asked for a videotaped interrogation shortly after Hollis had released the findings of his probe.
“I declined to be interviewed,” was all Hollis would say about the matter.
A police spokesman reiterated the Bermuda Police Service’s policy of not releasing further information once an investigation has been announced until it ends.
“It is customary the next time information is received from the police is when a file has been prepared for the DPP [Director of Public Prosecutions] and the person makes an appearance in court, or if we are not going any further with the investigation. We typically do not speak once an investigation has commenced,” the spokesperson said.
Hollis announced the internal investigation days after publication of our story Selling Bermuda which raised serious questions about Government’s dealings with casino developer Nathan Landow.
His unilateral announcement – in which he said our story “appears to have some validity” – upset some party stalwarts and he was reportedly pressured to resign his post weeks into his inquiry.
And the party’s executive restricted his inquiry to exclude the actions of Cabinet Ministers.
Hollis resigned within days of releasing his findings. He confirmed the existence of a bank account in the name of “Bermuda Political Action Club” which had been kept secret from him and other executive members of the party. But he said his inquiry could not determine the final destination of the funds donated into the account.
Our story reported that Craig Cannonier had a relationship with the developer before the general elections which landed him the premiership of Bermuda, and that the developer and a group of US businessmen had contributed more than $300,000 to an election campaign slush fund. We also found a number of inconsistencies and contradictions in Cannonier’s public statements about his dealings with the developer and his administration’s handling of its casino gaming initiative.
Cannonier resigned the premiership on May 19 – shortly after Hollis announced the internal probe and the party’s crisis meetings to resolve the issue.
He was succeeded by Michael Dunkley who retained his portfolio as Minister of National Security with administrative responsibility for the Bermuda Police Service.
Police have said that their investigation is specifically about the transactions related to the BPAC account which was managed by OBA consultant Derrick Greene and Cannonier’s friend Stephen DeCosta.
Political financing is not regulated in Bermuda.
Bermuda’s Criminal Code prohibits “official corruption” – asking for private benefit in exchange for government action or lack of action. Official corruption is punishable with a fine of up to $50,000 or five years in prison.
And the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act makes it unlawful for US citizens or businesses to make payments to foreign officials for the purpose of obtaining business.
This article belongs to Politica ! The original article can be found here: Police investigation into JetGate donations continues
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