TT:
Ish, Ferguson face 75 years. If convicted in US...
Trinidad Express
Port
Spain
Petroleumworldtt.com
10 29 06
Local businessmen Steve Ferguson and Ishwar Galbaransingh
face up to 75 years each in prison and their properties
could be confiscated if they are convicted of US
charges of fraud in relation to the Piarco Airport
development project.
An
indictment filed against them, other businessmen
and two firms, last May in the Florida Southern
District Court, disclosed the maximum penalties
as well as the prosecution's intention to have all
properties derived from the proceeds of the fraud
confiscated.
The
documents put the property that could be confiscated
to at least US$33.5 million, and stated that all
those charged could be held personally liable to
account for the sum if the property could not be
traced.
Further,
Galbaransingh's company, Northern Construction Ltd-which
participated in the airport project and is also
charged-could be fined up to US$1 million if a jury
finds that it was used for fraud.
The
indictment alleged 84 counts of fraud, conspiracy
to commit fraud, money laundering and conspiracy
to engage in money laundering against Ferguson,
Galbaransingh, Northern Construction and Florida-based
Calmaquip Engineering-the company which participated
in the airport project and recently lost its maintenance
contract.
Raul
Guiterrez and Renee Diaz De Villegas, both past
presidents and directors of Calmaquip, were named
in the indictment as co-accused. Also charged were
Eduardo Hillman-Waller, co-owner of Florida-based
Birk-Hillman Consultants Inc-the chief consultant
for the project, Columbian businessman Leonardo
Arturo Mora-Rodriguez and Aruban businessman Richard
Lacle.
Attorney
General John Jeremie disclosed in the Senate on
October 18 that Gutierrez and Hillman-Waller had
agreed to plead guilty to the charges. A plea agreement
hearing has been set for November 6.
The
United States government has made requests for the
extraditions of Galbaransingh and Ferguson, but
both men-who are facing charges locally in relation
corruption and fraud allegations in the same project-have
filed High Court applications to stop the orders
being issued against them.
Trinidad
Express
Tuesday, October 24th 2006
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