TBO Officers spent all day searching Duncan and Brandon Law Office.
PHILIPSBURG:--- TBO Officers ransacked Duncan and Brandon Law Firm on Cannegieter Street on Wednesday as investigators continue with the BTP investigation that involves TALIESIN Construction owner Carl Critchlow and Attorney at Law Peggy Ann Brandon. It should also be noted that Duncan and Brandon Law firm also represented Carl Critchlow in several cases. SMN News learned that the officers began the search early Wednesday morning and did not leave the law firm until night on Wednesday, SMN News further learned that TBO officers also searched the home of Judith De Weever early Wednesday morning. The team also searched De Weever's company "ACTIS".
According to information SMN News received is that the investigation expanded since monies that were collected as licensing fees that had to be paid to government is unaccounted for.
The spokesman for the TBO Office Roderick Gouverneur confirmed a search was conducted at a law firm but declined to give further details.TBO searches in various locations on Sint Maarten
TBO searches in various locations on Sint Maarten
As part of an ongoing criminal investigation of the TBO, the Anti-corruption Taskforce, a home, and various office buildings were searched this week
The investigations of the TBO focus primarily on corruption and fraud. The Public Prosecutor Office has started a criminal investigation because of strong signals about abuses at the Bureau Telecommunicatie en Post (BTP). Presumably, the government has lost millions of dollars in revenue in recent years.
TBO is investigating the purchase/sale and financing of the BTP office building on Cannegieterstraat as well as the high operational costs. This causes a reduction in the payments that they make to the country. Other authorities, such as the Algemene Rekenkamer Sint Maarten and the SOAB, have also previously investigated the expenditures of BTP. In view of the reconstruction of Sint Maarten, great attention is currently being paid to the finances of the country.
The TBO is investigating the case further.
TBO, the Anti-corruption Taskforce is a collaboration between the Criminal Investigation Team (RST) and the Office of the Attorney General of Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba. They are specialized in combating financial criminal offenses and investigate corruption, (tax) fraud, forgery and money laundering. Corruption reduces income and has a negative effect on the economic welfare of the country. Corruption causes unfair competition and reduces the confidence of the citizens in its government.
Prosecutor's Office Press Release
