Ok, so on Friday October 9, former Cash Plus boss, Carlos Hill, was slapped with 15 additional charges, just before/after* his appearance in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court to answer to three previous charges of fraud and conspiracy.
(*The Jamaica Observer has "before", while the Jamaica Gleaner has "after").
His JMD $10-million bail was reinstated.
According to the Jamaica Gleaner, the new charges involve $30 million, which 15 depositors had invested in the unregulated investment scheme.
We also learned that high-profile lawyer, Valerie Neita-Robertson is now the lawyer for Bertram Hill, Carlos Hill's brother.
And Mrs. Neita-Robertson had some interesting proclamations to make on Friday...
According to Mrs Neita-Robertson:
1) Mr. Bertram Hill, has not been arrested on any charges..
[Well, if we check a previous MOU Blog post and news reports re this, we see that both Bertram and Carlos Hill were jointly charged and arrested, along with former Cash Plus Chief Financial Officer, Peter Wilson, on April 10, 2008 on fraud charges related to Cash Plus and were given bail approximately three (3) weeks later].
2) Mr. Bertram Hill has no bank accounts in Dubai
3) Cash Plus Liquidator-Hugh Wildman had received information from an informant, whose reliability is questionable.
[Apparently in court documents filed in the issuance of Court Orders on both Carlos and Bertram Hill, Mr. Wildman admits that the informant who told him about the US $25 million in Dubai, was given a ticket from Canada to Dubai, but has not yet given him (Mr. Wildman) word, re any monies found there].
The Saturday Observer of October 10,2009, is also quoting Mr. Wildman as saying that while he has made statements that US $25 million was available in Cash Plus accounts in a bank in Dubai, it's yet to be determined if this is true.
Today, there were news reports that Mr. Wildman refuses to make any more statements re this infamous US $25 million that he has allegedly found, lest he prejudice the case.
But he has reiterated that if Mr. Carlos Hill makes full disclosure re the worldwide accounts that he has, Cash Plus depositors will be paid by Christmas of this year.
Well, Mrs Neita-Robertson is just she's doing her job as Mr. Bertram Hill's attorney, for in making the court order "information" public (along with what is reported in the Saturday Observer), she has cast doubts on the character of Mr. Hugh Wildman.
And Cash Plus investors are now, where they were at the very beginning, doubtful as to whether or not their monies in the failed alternative investment scheme, will be recovered.
Interesting huh? the difference that a few days make...
Well friends, hold on to your seats, cause, as a famous Jamaican politician once said, "It ain't over yet, baby!"
...There's a lot more to come in the upcoming days and weeks! (E.g. we'll know if Carlos Hill discloses anything or keeps his mouth shut, re his assets).
Hopefully, Cash Plus investors have a good stomach to weather the roller-coaster ride, ahead of them.
As usual, MOU Blog will keep you updated re this ever-unfolding Cash Plus saga.
[I would like to thank dkilim for the use of his Flickr inset photo of the famous Navagio (shipwreck) beach in Greece].
Gillian
Sources Include
1) Nationwide Radio, October 9 and 12, 2009
2) Article, "Fraud charges mount on Hill", by Barbara Gayle - Staff Reporter, Jamaica Gleaner, October 10,2009
3) Article, "15 MORE CHARGES ON CASH PLUS BOSS", Jamaica Observer, October 10,2009
4) Television Programme, "Impact - with Cliff Hughes" via Television Jamaica, October 8,2009
5) Article, "Cash Plus drama...Carlos Hill and co-accused charged with fraud", from website: NewsaboutCashPlusinJamaica.com, April 16,2008
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