04/04/2024

Vieux Fort Resident Charged with Money Laundering After Police Operation.

By Financial Intelligence Authority

On the 20th of March, 2024 officers attached to the Financial Intelligence Authority formally charged FABIEN JULIAN alias TOBY of La Ressource, Vieux Fort, for the offence of money laundering, contrary to Section 30 of the Money Laundering (Prevention) Act.

The charge arose from an incident which occurred in September of 2020 when the Police in the course of conducting an operation in the La Ressource area, recovered approximately EUR031,OOO.OO and EC$IO,OOO.OO cash in the possession of Julian.

Based on the suspicion that the money constituted the proceeds of crime, Julian was taken into custody on suspicion of money laundering and the matter was then handed over to the Financial Intelligence Authority for further investigation.

Following the detention of the money by the Authority and a comprehensive investigation into the legitimacy of the cash, Julian was charged for the money laundering offence.

Section 30 of the Money Laundering Act makes it an offence for a person to have possession of any property knowing or having reasonable grounds to believe that the property is in whole or in part directly or indirectly proceeds of criminal conduct.

The maximum penalty for the offence is up to two million dollars and or fifteen years imprisonment.

On the 21st March, 2024 Julian was taken before a Magistrate in the 2nd District Court where he was bailed in the sum of ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00) cash or suitable surety.

He is scheduled to appear in court at a later date to answer to the charge.

The Financial Intelligence Authority remains committed to working with other law enforcement agencies in an effort to combat money laundering and to protect the integrity of Saint Lucia’s financial system.