 "Usain Bolt’s attorney slams Jamaican government amid adverse media reports on $6M fraud case")
Usain Bolt’s attorney, Linton Gordon, has condemned attempts to hold the legendary sprinter responsible for the loss of his $6 million investment with Stocks and Securities Limited (SSL). “There now appears to be an organized effort to shift blame onto the Honorable Usain Bolt for his loss—when he is guilty of nothing more than investing in the country that he loves,” Linton Gordon said in a statement on Friday.
“This is a textbook case of victim-blaming, and it appears to be an attempt to absolve the government of its failure to protect the public and those defrauded by SSL.
“Even more concerning is the apparent attempt to silence victims and manipulate the narrative about who is truly responsible for this large-scale fraud, which has left hundreds of Jamaicans without their hard-earned money and no clear path to recovery.”
Gordon says fund transfers from Bolt were documented
Gordon also refuted the claims that there were irregularities in the funds transferred by Bolt to SSL.
“The allegations being circulated publicly that not all of Usain Bolt’s funds sent to Stocks & Securities Limited were received by the institution are false, baseless, and entirely without credibility,” Gordon said.
“All funds lodged at SSL by Bolt’s company were transferred via bank transactions, and each and every payment was acknowledged by the institution in writing.”
To support his argument, Gordon referenced court testimony from Ken Tomlinson, the Financial Services Commission (FSC)-appointed temporary manager. According to Tomlinson’s 2024 testimony, Bolt’s initial $6.2 million investment was fraudulently withdrawn from SSL’s account. Bolt also revealed that his account statements, up until late 2022, reflected a total investment of $12.7 million.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsThe lawyer also slammed the suggestions that Bolt was negligent part and blamed the Jamaican government for failing to safeguard investors against the financial fraud that has rocked the country.
“The notion that Bolt was negligent in making these deposits is entirely unfounded,” Gordon said. “The Prime Minister of Jamaica, the Government of Jamaica, and hundreds of Jamaican citizens invested in SSL—an institution that was approved and regulated by the government.
“To suggest that Bolt was careless or lacked proper financial management is to imply the same about every Jamaican who has invested in a government-approved financial institution.”
On January 12, 2023, reports emerged that millions of dollars had gone missing from Usain Bolt’s account at SSL, triggering a multi-agency fraud investigation. So far, Jean-Ann Panton, a former wealth advisor at the firm, remains the only person charged in connection with the case.
Bolt has in the past criticised the Jamaican government for lack of progress in the investigation.
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