Authorities in Antigua and Barbuda say prosecutions are forthcoming in several cyber-enabled fraud investigations, with suspects already identified and cases being prepared for court.
Assistant Superintendent of Police Kelvin Thompson and Lt. Col. Edward Croft, director of the Financial Intelligence Unit at the Office of National Drug and Money Laundering Control Policy, addressed concerns about the absence of publicly announced arrests during the National Cybersecurity and Fraud Prevention Forum.
Thompson said investigators did not initially recognise the full extent of the fraud reports. A pattern later emerged, prompting the creation of a joint investigative team.
“Once we identified the pattern, a joint investigative team has been put together,” Thompson said, describing fraud investigations as complex and requiring extensive work behind the scenes.
The investigations involve more than 20 victims, several banks and nearly 100 people who allegedly received or benefited from fraudulent transactions.
The joint team includes representatives from the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda, the ONDCP and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Thompson said investigators want to complete their work before filing charges to avoid repeatedly requesting court adjournments.
“We want to make sure that we have the case together and then we file charges,” he said.
Charges are expected, but Thompson did not provide a timeline.
Croft said investigators have already identified suspected participants in the schemes.
“We know who they are,” he said. “We are going to come and get you. So just be patient with us. We are working.”
Croft warned that the ONDCP is investigating not only those accused of organising the fraud but also people who receive, transfer, withdraw or spend stolen money.
He said handling fraudulently obtained funds could carry the same legal consequences as committing the original offence.
Authorities believe some of the cyber-enabled fraud affecting Antigua and Barbuda is connected to organised criminal networks. Croft said investigators are seeking to identify the people directing the schemes rather than concentrating solely on lower-level participants, sometimes described as money mules.
“What we are seeing from a strategic point of view, it’s a mechanism, an organised crime group,” Croft said.
He said dismantling those networks requires intelligence analysis, cooperation among agencies and careful planning.
Thompson urged victims of cyberfraud in Antigua and Barbuda to report incidents immediately and provide investigators with complete information.
“Some people are embarrassed because of the experience and they try to give us limited information,” he said. “Don’t give us half information. Tell us everything.”
Victims do not need to gather all supporting evidence before making a report, Thompson said. Basic details, including a name, address and account number, can be submitted first, while screenshots, telephone numbers and other evidence can follow.
He said prompt reporting could help prevent further losses, recalling an investigation in which another unauthorised transaction occurred while the victim was still at the bank reporting the first.
Croft said the ONDCP also shares intelligence with local regulators and overseas partners because many cyberfraud schemes originate outside Antigua and Barbuda.
He cited findings from the Financial Action Task Force showing that 90% of the 156 countries in its network identified cyber-enabled crime as their most common emerging crime trend. He said the CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security has reported similar regional concerns.
Authorities also intend to pursue the recovery of stolen money alongside criminal prosecutions.
“As best as practically possible, we want to ensure that the victims are compensated for the type of losses that they would have incurred,” Croft said.
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Much applaud to the effort to address this very serious crime . However, as a community we need to take all criminal activities seriously. The fraud that took place with government vehicle gate scandal is one such that should not be allowed to be swept under the carpet. We need our law enforcement agencies to approach all forms of illegal , fraudulent activities equally. This means they should be independent of political interference. Did not hear from any of these agencies when the vechicle scheme was committed. In many instances people that committed fraud against the people of Antigua and Barbuda gets promoted instead of prosecuted.
We also heard of other criminal activities what are committed within the government system and because of who for pickney committed it , it’s swept under the carpet.
Forensic auditing needs to be conducted in all government financial institutions, that includes statutory bodies as well. The lives
some government employees are living cannot come from their salaries. Well unless they were born with a gold spoon in their mouth.
We need to be accountable all the time. This is how we will be able to close down the CIP program, and don’t feel a pinch. Stamp out corruption in public office.
@You are so very right.
A crime is a crime, that should be investigated and punished irrespective of the persons involved.
Your concerns are valid; but don’t be too quick to applaud the various investigative arms of Government.
They are simply incompetent as well as part of corrupt politicians operations.
When Croft warned that the ONDCP is investigating not only those accused of organising the fraud but also people who receive, transfer, withdraw or spend stolen money.”
What is the message he thinks he is delivering?
We are the Keystone Cops so incompetent, who can’t investigate a bank fraud involving dozens of people.
If as Croft says: many cyberfraud schemes originate outside Antigua and Barbuda”, Then who are the perpetrators? Why aren’t the public being informed?
If many of the cybercrimes are committed outside of Antigua and Barbuda then it’s impacting local banks.
What measures are they putting in place to prevent outsiders ripping off the banks and the individual victims?
Stop hiding behind, and the Press Releases Croft