Millionaire developer arrested in corruption scandal

| 11/11/2011

(CNS): The investigation team in Turks and Caicos has arrested and charged millionaire businessman and hotel developer Jak Civre, according to a report in the local press. The developer of the Seven Stars hotel and condominium project in Providenciales is the second person reportedly arrested in the corruption investigation led by Helen Garlick. Varet Jak Civre appeared at Providenciales Magistrates Court Thursday, the TCI Sun reported. A commission of inquiry in 2009 found that a payment by Civre to Floyd Hall of $150,000 in February 2007 on the eve of the election, said to be a campaign donation, was paid into the business account of his company, Paradigm, and was possibly a corrupt payment.

“He has been charged with bribery contrary to common law,” the investigation team said, adding that Civre has been released on conditional bail and will appear at the Supreme Court on 3 Feb next year. Civre, who was represented by Conrad Griffith QC, appeared before Chief Magistrate Joan Joyner and was granted $34 million bail and ordered to report to on a monthly basis. He was allowed to keep his travel documents.

According to local reports, Hall, a member of the previous Progressive National Party government, was arrested last week, the first former government official embroiled in the scandal that led to direct rule by the British. He has been charged with one count of corruption. The former premier, Michael Misick, has been accused of building a multimillion-dollar fortune financed from questionable dealings that gave property developers access to crown-owned land. So far, no charges have been brought against the PNP leader, who has persistently denied the allegations. Other local reports also suggest that the wife of a “prominent politician” has also been arrested on charges relating to bribery.

Civre, who is described as a 'Belonger' and long-time resident of TCI, is the President and CEO of Sodalco Development Company Ltd, which bought the 22-acre former Allegro Resort property and spearheaded the seven-storey Seven Stars development.

He has a long history of ventures throughout Europe and the United States. In 2002 the entire corporate conglomerate founded by Civre was sold to a private equity financial group when he turned his attention to his real estate holdings in TCI. The purchase of the Seven Stars site marked one of the largest single real estate acquisitions in the Islands. The property has since been sold.

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  1. Anonymous says:

    When I was in TCI during 2004/5 you could buy 'Belonger' status (and a lot of other things) if you knew the right person. There seemed to be a hidden price on everything that involved any sort of bureaucracy.

    Friends of mine worked out there just before the UK takeover, they said cash corruption (taking bribes) was operating on a scale that made Middle Eastern businessmen look honest by comparison.  

    Despite this it was a fun place to be, a lot better than Cayman is now, and probably the only place I every lived where you drive a car while drinking alcohol as long as you had your seatbelt done up.

  2. Anonymous says:

    They better come before the safe haven course gets closed. I will then need to rely on my right to acces the blue tip course (it being public open space and all).

    • Planning Man says:

      Where is the designated area for public use on the Ritz site?  I knew they had to provide one as a condition of getting planning permission.  The odd thing is I can't seem to find it when I go there.  You would think that as part of the deal to not pay millions of duty, the Ritz might just put a sign up saying "public area here, come and enjoy yourselves"

      • Anonymous says:

        Maybe instead of occupy wall street Caymanians can occupythe public open space. I’ll supply some refreshments.

  3. Emmie Six says:

    Like the X-Files, some of us know the date of the takeover well in advance.

  4. Anonymous says:

    ” he has been charged with bribery contrary to common law” – you do understand the concept Legal Dept – right? you know, you do not really need statutes to do what needs to be done. we’ve been waiting a long time for you to take action. You there? anyone home?

  5. Corruption is free says:

    We can only dream theimpossible dream in this overseas territory. Too much money at stake for chosen few!

  6. Anonymous says:

    Isn’t the land for the new landfill Crown land??

    • Strangers in the Night says:

      Is this a caribbean epidemic? "Birds of a feather flock together" & this sounds very similar to what is being investigated in Cayman (& they are all close friends). I know a few persons in Cayman must be ready to run!

      • Anonymous says:

        Lets hope it goes the same way in that people in Cayman are prosecuted for corruption. The TCI story seems to parallel ours in many ways except that justice seems to be starting to prevail over there and we have yet to see it in Cayman. Same large developers, same Crown land giveaways, same politicians accepting money they should not ask for and so on……

    • Anonymous says:

      No

  7. Anonymous says:

    Misick's heart is pure and his hands are clean

    • Stiffed-Necked Fool says:

      "Millionaire businessman and Hotel Developer"? Sounds familiar!

      XXXXX

      I sure hope that Helen will come here to Caymanand I mean like yesterday!

      I feel that there are a few Politicians that are finding themselves in the toilet room very often now-a-days. I am sleeping real well lately with some sweet dreams which I hope will become reality very soon!

  8. Little Orphan Annie says:

    Leaping lizards, Sandy!  I hope nothing like that ever happens in the Caymans!

  9. Knot S Smart says:

    So are they trying to say that if for example a major hotel developer, or even a billionaire, extended favours or funds, to grease the political leader's hands – then the millionaire hotel developer, or billionaire, could be arrested and charged with corruption?

    And does anyone know if there has been a dramatic increase in the sales of valium and xanax, lately?

     

  10. Anonymous says:

    Since our Gov't likes to compare and take pages out of the TCI's "How to screw up a country" text book. I do hope we can at least get to read THIS LINE in the chapter, OUT LOUD and have a good laugh from it!!!

  11. Anonymous says:

    Hahahaha, looky-ya.., want see cockroaches scurrying!!!

  12. Anonymous9 says:

    Uh, I just woke up from under my rock and read this part of the article;

    "The former premier, Michael Misick, has been accused of building a multimillion-dollar fortune financed from questionable dealings that gave property developers access to crown-owned land. So far no charges have been brought against the PNP leader, who has persistently denied the allegations."

    Where am I? Did someone switch islands around? It's like looking at a mirror…

    It would be funny if it weren't so horrible

  13. Dred says:

    Aahem Ahem, Helen? You think you can come assist us down here when you are done there? We got some cobwebs we need cleaned out.

    • Anonymous says:

      Pretty sure that's the plan.  Her team will be ready to relocate here in two years.

    • The Prophet says:

      Oh, whythose who can cast a first stone do it.  All have failed and come short of the glory,  so how can we critize, and make insinuations about anyone whether it is theri Premier or our Premier.

      • Polly Tricks says:

        By this logic no one can ever prosecute anyone.  I find the Prophet's bizarre mix of religious undertone with a political focus both terrifying and entertaining in roughly equal measure.