Source: Loop Caribbean
Former St Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Denzil Douglas has said a recent Racketeer-Influenced and Corrupt Organisations (RICO) civil suit filed by movie producer Philippe Martinez against him and other stakeholders in the Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programme is “baseless”.
In a statement, Douglas, who is now the country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, denied any involvement in criminal or fraudulent activity.
“I categorically deny the allegations that have been levelled against me, all of which are ridiculously false accusations made by the Plaintiffs in the Claim. The document is riddled with hearsay,” he said.
“These allegations are baseless, malicious, and are deliberate attacks intending to destroy my reputation, character, and legacy.”
Douglas said during his decades in politics, he has acted in the public’s interest and with integrity.
“I am proud of the record of achievements of the Government that I led from 1995-2015 and the work we did to transform the Citizenship by Investment Programme into one of inclusion. The programme, modernised by the Government, is single-handedly responsible for the socioeconomic fortunes of our beautiful country over the last two decades,” he said.
Douglas said he is prepared to clear his name and is confident that he will be vindicated by the court.
In the 132-page lawsuit file in the United States District Court, Middle District of Florida, MARTINEZ and his companies MSR Media SKN Limited, MSR Hotels & Co Limited and MSR Media International LLC alleged Douglas and others engaged in a scheme to defraud the people of St Kitts and Nevis and St Lucia as well as American investors.
The plaintiffs alleged the fraudulent acts had the potential to allow criminals to obtain visa-free or visa-on-arrival entry to the United States, Europe, and other countries.
The defendants listed in the lawsuit include Les Kahn, the former head of St Kitts & Nevis’ Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU) and current CEO of Caribbean Galaxy; McClaude Emmanuel, the present CEO of the St Lucia Citizenship by CIU; Ying Jin of Caribbean Galaxy; former Prime Minister Dr Timothy Harris and Faron Lawrence, a Kittitian real estate developer.