The Major Organized Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency (MOCA) arrested three individuals today in connection with a $222 million fraud scheme at the Institute of Sports (INSPORTS) between 2011 and 2017.
Among those apprehended are Andrew ‘French’ Wright, a well-known party promoter and CEO of the Chug It beach parties, Rudolph Barnes and Oneil Hope. Wright, Barnes, and Hope are charged with Conspiracy to Defraud, Acquisition, Use and Possession of Criminal Property, Engaging in Transactions Involving Criminal Property and Larceny as a Servant.
In the information released by MOCA, the arrested men were reportedly members of a group of former INSPORTS workers who fraudulently drafted, signed, and cashed checks for payees who were neither the company’s employees nor contractual labourers.
In 2017, INSPORTS found these discrepancies, as well as others, when conducting an analysis of their financial records, and MOCA was informed.
The Director of Communications, Major Basil Jarrett, has reported that MOCA is seeking several other individuals. Jarrett described the case as “complex,” noting that it took a “meticulous approach” and the participation of several others (Director of Public Prosecutions, the Financial Investigations Division, and Tax Administration Jamaica) to “examine all the leads and uncover all the evidence required to make these arrests and bring these charges.”
People are advised to call the newly established tip hotline for MOCA, 888-MOCA-TIP, to report any indications of organized crime or corruption.
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