WILL MEHUL CHOKSI'S ATTORNEY, CHARGED WITH MULTIPLE COUNTS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT, IMPLICATE HIS CLIENT IN TERRORIST FINANCING?

Remember VIJAY AGGARWAL, the fugitive billion dollar fraudster MEHUL CHOKSI's Indian attorney, who was reportedly representing his alleged career criminal client in the UK, whilst only there on a visitor's visa? He has now been arrested on four counts of Sexual Assault, and has been bound over in preventive custody, obviously both to protect the public, as well as to prevent him from returning to his native India.

As he has been linked to Choksi's alleged financial support to a number of designated and sanctioned terrorist groups in India, the question arises: will he implicate Choksi, to mitigate his exposure in the rape cases, or even seek immunity from prosecution, to save himself from a long prison term in a British jail? The attorney-client privilege between Aggarwal and Choksi most certainly can be pierced, as the Crime or Fraud Exception applies. He might also be able to identify the recipients of the funds that Choksi remitted, calculating that law enforcement might find his information sufficient to give him a pass from four sexual assault charges.

Readers, if you see later that the case was dismissed, or that he was found innocent, you may have your answer. If Aggarwal cooperates with Indian counterterrorism authorities, Choksi may be in for additional criminal charges, and these would not have as release date; Choksi could spend the rest of his natural life in prison.

THE SEVENTH DEATH IN THE ANTIQUATED ANTIGUA PRISON IN THE PAST YEAR; NO TIMELINE ON CONSTRUCTION OF ITS REPLACEMENT

The seventh inmate in a year has died at His Majesty's Prison in Antigua. This death, which is reportedly a suicide, should never have occurred. Conditions there are appalling, and drugs and alcohol are readily available from the corrupt staff. Some Antiguans are claiming that the squalid conditions, and mistreatment of prisoners violates the Human Rights of the inmates. The overcrowded facility was designed for 150 inmates; However, the facility suffers from severe overcrowding and regularly houses between 250 and 400 prisoners, running at an occupancy level well over 150% to 250% of its intended limit. Due to these longstanding capacity issues, the Antigua and Barbuda Cabinet approved plans to construct a new modular correctional facility to phase out the colonial-era structure. The plans include a rehabilitation scheme and a skills development program, to reintegrate inmates back into society.

The problem is that there has been no start date announced by the Cabinet, the authorized capacity will be only 150, and there are rumours that a Chinese contractor, with Chinese crew, will be constructing the much-needed facility, due to the fact that China has reportedly agreed to finance the construction. This denies Antiguan companies the business, who employ local workers, what could provide an economic shot in the arm during difficult times. 

We call upon the government of Antigua to give the construction contract to a local company, and to forthwith schedule the project this year, not in the indefinite future, before more inmates take their own lives in desperation. 

FEDERAL JUDGE APPROVES §1782 SUBPOENAS IN GASTON BROWNE ALFA NERO CORRUPTION AND MONEY LAUNDERING CASE

Four months after a §1782 Discovery Application was filed, seeking financial information regarding Antigua Prime Minister GASTON BROWNE'S alleged theft of six million dollar dollars from sales proceeds in the ALFA NERO luxury yacht scandal, a United States District Court Magistrate Judge has entered an order authorizing the issuance of subpoenas. Browne has publicly but deceptively stated that the case was over last year, when an appellate court struck down an earlier application on procedural grounds. This was a misstatement of material fact, as the case was not dismissed, but remained active.

The Supplemental Application, which was filed after Browne brought Defamation charged against the lawyer and law firm that represents the victim, the Alfa Nero's owner, gave the Court new jurisdiction to approve Discovery against PM Browne, members of his immediate family, related corporate entities and individuals closely associated with him, who are classified as POLITICALLY EXPOSED PERSONS, or PEPs.

The Court has required a Status Report of the Plaintiff on or before November 9, 2026. The information sought in the subpoenas could serve as evidence against Browne and others for money laundering and other charges in the United States, as the money involved was in United States Dollars (USD), and transited the US banking structure, both when payment was made, and when the illegal diversion of funds was funneled through bank accounts located in the U.S. We will be closely following unfolding developments in this case, and readers can expect regular updates, as it has become a case of great public interest, both in America, as well as in the Caribbean.

WILL SAINT LUCIA'S CONTROVERSIAL ONE-SIDED CONTRACT WITH GLOBAL PORTS HOLDING BE SET ASIDE AND CANCELLED?

In 2023, a contract was signed between the Saint Lucia Ministry of Tourism and the private company Global Ports Holding to manage, operate and redevelop cruise operations at Port Castries and Soufrière Bay in Saint Lucia. The agreement appears to be highly questionable in its face. It has an initial term of 30 years, with the option of an additional 10-year extension, bringing the potential total to 40 years.

Under the agreement, Global Ports Holding PLC, registered in the UK but organized in Turkey, and reportedly owned by Turkish nationals, will collect approximately US$10 per cruise passenger, while only around US$1 per passenger will go to the government treasury. Based on approximately 700,000 cruise passengers annually, the estimated revenue distribution would be:

SLASPA (government share): Approximately US$700,000 annually
Global Ports Holding: Approximately US$6.3 million annually

Global Ports Holding took over the port operations in early 2024 and began collecting passenger fees. However, after approximately two years, it has reportedly not begun any expansion work. In essence, Saint Lucia Government officials handed control of approximately US$7 million in annual passenger-fee revenue to a private company, revenue that should have benefited the government treasury. If multiplied by 40 years it becomes USD $ 280 million loss to St Lucia.

Will this contract, said by many to be unconscionable, and a gross insult to the citizens of Saint Lucia, be set aside, either by a court of competent jurisdiction, or the country's Parliament? We shall see, as more facts emerge that appear to make it either unenforceable, illegal, or even Ultra Vires; We will be watching.

ALEX SAAB MORAN MIAMI FEDERAL TRIAL POSTPONED UNTIL NOVEMBER: IS SOMETHING IN THE WORKS BEHIND THE SCENES?

We are advised that UNITED STATES vs. ALEX SAAB MORAN, (SDFL), which was scheduled to commence today, has been postponed until November 16, 2026. The reason given by the Court was to allow the defense team more time to review the evidence.

A virtual Calendar Call will occur on November 10, 2026. Whether this is really a smokescreen to allow Saab additional time to negotiate and finalize a Plea Agreement, where he pleads guilty to reduced charges, and renders Substantial Assistance (Cooperation with law enforcement) is a distinct possibility, as Saab was previously intensively involved in making a deal in a prior case. If that does occur, we expect additional indictments, of both Venezuelan nationals as well as individuals in Antigua and Barbuda. Stay tuned.

SAINT LUCIA MINISTER OF INVESTMENT ERNEST HILAIRE ACCEPTED A USD$3.5m BRIBE FROM A FOREIGN COMPANY

One of our most reliable sources inside the Eastern Caribbean state of SAINT LUCIA has evidence that MINISTER OF INVESTMENT ERNEST HILAIRE accepted a bribe of three million five hundred dollars (USD$3.5m) from a foreign corporate entity interested in doing business with his country. We stress that this illegal payment, which violates St. Lucia's INTEGRITY IN PUBLIC LIFE ACT, is not part of the billion dollar Citizenship by Investment (CIP) scandal; Hilaire is alleged to have repeatedly accepted illicit gratuities from a Chinese-owned and controlled CIP vendor, CARIBBEAN GALAXY, but this is separate and distinct from that case.

While we have chosen, at this point, not to disclose the name of the foreign company that made the payment, which occurred through its most senior  executive, most Saint Lucians are painfully aware of this particular government corruption scandal, and know the entity's identity. The maximum penalty for violation of the Integrity in Public Life Act is XCD$500,000 and ten (10) years' imprisonment.

We will be most interested in seeing whether local Saint Lucia media chooses to report on this extremely newsworthy event, as it is common knowledge that the government controls, and effectively censors, all print, radio and Internet media, through a variety of illegal tools, essentially eliminating Freedom of the Press. Hilaire also holds the portfolio of Minister for Information.

ANTIGUANS OPPOSED TO PM GASTON BROWNE'S PLAN TO CONTINUE CITIZENSHIP BY INVESTMENT PROGRAM CHOOSE TO OPENLY PROTEST AND DISRUPT UPCOMING COMMONWEALTH HEADS OF GOVERNMENT MEETING (CHOGM)

Information received from a reliable source within Antigua & Barbuda has led observers to conclude that certain elements in the country, upset that Prime Minister GARSON BROWNE is openly defying the orders of the European Union, regarding the phased cancellation of the country's beleaguered Citizenship by Investment (CIP) economic passport sales program, plan to conduct peaceful protests during the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of State (CHOGM) Meeting, November 1-4, 2026. Whether their actions will disrupt the conference itself is not known. 

There is no further information available, regarding details of the planned protests; it is not known whether the organizers are members or leaders of the Opposition, the United Progressive Party, also known as UPP, or a non-political, private group of citizens. Antiguans are by and large, extremely upset with the ruling Labour Party government, whom they rightly blame for the imposition of major U.S. visa restrictions, attributed to American concerns about National Security threats said to be caused by the country's rogue CIP passport program. Browne's very public rebuke of the EU policy, which mandates the loss of visa-free privileges for any state that maintains an economic passport program after June 2028, has Antiguans fearful that the US will impose further Draconian measures for retaining the CIP program.

What form these protests will take is not known, but since any open display of opposition to Antigua's government will most likely be considered a breach of the peace, not to mention a major embarrassment to the host government, it is expected that there will be a heavy law enforcement response, raising the issue of insuring the safety of delegates and attendees to this very public event. Individuals planning on being at the CHOGM Meeting should be aware that protests may affect the schedule or security measures.

To further complicate the already tense situation, there are fears in Antigua that the Browne government has not complied timely with the first tranche of the EU order on the CIP program, requiring Antigua to cease to issue passports to any individual sanctioned by the EU or its Members, and to forthwith conduct only Enhanced Cue Diligence inquiries on applicants for passports. These interim requirement were to have been in place by 1 September, and we have seen no evidence that EDD measures are being conducted. The failure to institute either of these two provisions could result in immediate revocation of visa-free entry into the Schengen Zone by the European Commission, and possible further American action. 

As soon as any additional information become available, we shall immediately update our readers on the situation.

 

 

AS JUDGMENT DAY APPROACHES, HAMILTON RESERVE BANK CONTINUES TO MARKET FOR NEW CUSTOMERS; WHAT'S WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE?

If you are, like me, on the email list for HAMILTON RESERVE BANK, you have been receiving messages that indicate the bank is reaching out to new potential customers on a global basis, especially in the Middle East. Legal observers in NEVIS, where the bank was incorporated and is based, have reminded me that, on September 15, a number of the civil suits against Hamilton will come on for hearing, and judgments are expected to be entered. A significant number of depositors have been unable to access their accounts for years, and some have resorted to civil litigation for relief; other entities have also filed suit, on other grounds, and those actions will need to be resolved. Meanwhile, the bank continues to solicit new customers.

What will occur when judgments are actually entered in Nevis, we cannot say. In most jurisdictions, the failure of a financial institution to pay its obligations when due is the textbook definition of insolvency, which usually means that regulators step in an place the entity into administration, seeking to salvage something for the creditors, but SKN regulators have not, as yet, taken that step. Whether this exposes them to personal liability is an issue which will, sooner or later, be resolved in local courts, as is the relationship of the island's Premier, MARK BRANTLEY, to the bank.

We are anxiously anticipating the rulings expected on 15 September, as well as the aftermath. Will there be appeals by the bank, and will it be required to post a supersedeas bond? Will it be able to comply? Stay tuned, as we believe that things will get ugly shortly in Nevis.

FOR FURTHER READING:

NEVIS, WHERE THE OFFSHORE BANKS ARE HAPPY TO ACCEPT YOUR DEPOSITS; THEY JUST WON'T GIVE THEM BACK. WILL PREMIER BRANTLEY NOW BE FORCED TO RESIGN FOR THIS SCANDAL?

SAINT LUCIA MINISTER RICHARD FREDERICK, THE POSTER BOY FOR CORRUPTION IN THE EASTERN CARIBBEAN, SHOWS HIS TRUE COLORS

Cash being delivered to be smuggled into the UK 

 

If you are wonder what the still shots from a video are, they appear to show SAINT LUCIA MINISTER RICHARD FREDERICK, unclothed, literally throwing cash at one of his paramours. She apparently filmed the encounter without his knowledge, and the tape is now out in the public domain. Frederick, now under criminal investigation for diverting Saint Lucia government funds to silence individuals who have now accused him of sexual offenses, was allegedly using these victims to illegally smuggle cash into the United Kingdom. The funds, some of which came from foreign countries as donors, were intended to benefit Saint Lucia's most needy citizens, and the nation is in an uproar over the theft. The United States, the UK, and Europe should all push for the prompt filing of criminal charges, as it was their funding which Frederick allegedly used to pay for the support of intimate partners. 

Although the country's embattled Prime Minister, PHILIP J. PIERRE, has indicated that an investigation is underway, his direct involvement in the corruption means that any case filed will never go to trial, as Pierre and the Saint Lucia Labour Party are implicated in the theft of funds specifically intended to assist the country's poorest people. Too many government officials, especially Pierre and Minister ERNEST HILAIRE, will be exposed to their constituents, who recently reelected them.

Minister Richard Frederick

The scandal demonstrates how deeply official corruption infects all levels of government in the Eastern Caribbean states, and is a primary reason why foreign investment in the region has seriously declined, as investors fear that they will be at the mercy of amoral senior government officials, forced to pay bribes and kickbacks, and lose any properties they purchase to fraud, the corrupt local judicial systems that ignore the Rule of Law, and are in danger of trumped-up criminal charges, should they contest their fate.

The shame of the situation is further increased by the utter failure of the ORGANIZATION OF EASTERN CARIBBEAN STATES (OECS) silence in the case, which is deafening. The OECS allows rampant official corruption at the highest level; in the absence of meaningful reform throughout the Eastern Caribbean region, its Members will continue to carry the stain of greed and avarice, and their dysfunctional economies will wallow in disrepair and neglect. If the OECS cannot condemn Richard Frederick, and others like him, the future of the region is dark indeed.

 

WAS THE RECENT ST. KITTS MONEY LAUNDERING CASE AGAINST PAUL BILZARIAN FILED TO PREVENT HIS EXTRADITION TO THE UNITED STATES TO FACE THE MUSIC?

Laughing at the USA all the way to his St. Kitts bank accounts

After all those years literally hiding out in Saint Kitts & Nevis, thanks to his Citizenship by Investment (CBI) passport, (purchased notwithstanding his extensive criminal history) why did the government there choose to file money laundering charges against the convicted and now fugitive American corporate raider who owes $180m to the United States? Most likely to act as legal interference, because jurisdictions rarely, if ever, extradite individuals with pending local criminal charges .

So, the question becomes whether the recidivist Bilzarian (or his SKN attorneys) engineered the money laundering case, or whether Prime Minister TERRANCE DREW and his Attorney General GARTH WILKIN were behind this legal charade. Bilzarian, who United States courts have ruled stole millions in the corporate world, and who has stymied American efforts to recover that money, most certainly enjoys a safe haven in Basseterre due in part to his alleged contributions to the ruling Labour Party, because otherwise, he'd be on a jet, in the custody of Federal Marshals long ago.

Indeed, perhaps it is time for us to reveal the identities of all the fugitives who have found safe harbor from the ends of justice in sunny Saint Kitts and Nevis. While we have, over the years named several of them, the full extent to which Saint Kitts displays its middle finger at the United States needs to be shown, and sanctions imposed.