May.04, 2010

THE status of local investigations into the money laundering allegations made against attorney Sidney Cambridge is unclear.

Statements released by Bahamian financial services regulators last year indicated they would review the accusations to determine whether or not a full blown investigation would be undertaken.

Rowena Bethel, Executive Commissioner at the Compliance Commission, said she would review questions presented by The Tribune to ensure any information disclosed did not conflict with the confidentiality obligations the Compliance Commission has to observe.

Attorney Lilly Ann Sanchez, who represents Mr Cambridge in Florida, said: "No charges are being filed (in the Bahamas). The Bahamian authorities have never, ever, ever investigated or had any interest in filing any kind of charges in this case at all."

Last year, Bahamian financial services regulators released public statements indicating they were reviewing the case because its sensitive nature could "pose a potential threat" to the integrity and reputation of the local financial services industry. The status of the review is unclear.

The legal community was stunned last November when Mr Cambridge was formally indicted in a Florida court on one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and five counts of money laundering. An arrest warrant was issued for him at that time.

He did not go to the US to face charges, and was declared a "fugitive from justice" by a Florida judge.

His case file was "transferred to the suspended/fugitive file until such time as he is apprehended." The judge also ordered the Clerk of the Court to designate the file "closed" for the time being in what has been called a "routine" procedure.

Sources say Mr Cambridge, who is a practising attorney, is at Munroe and Associates after resigning his post as an attorney and partner with Callender's & Co, and resigning as treasurer of the Progressive Liberal Party and the Bahamas Bar Association.

The Tribune was able to contact him at the firm yesterday. He referred all comments to his legal counsel Wayne Munroe, who is chief partner at Munroe and Associates. Mr Munroe could not be reached for comment.

US attorneys representing Mr Cambridge said they are waiting for the United States Attorneys' Office to make its next move with respect to a potential extradition request.

Ms Sanchez said nothing has happened since she had initial conversations with attorneys from the Florida Southern District of the US Attorneys' Office months ago. At that time they stated their intention to request extradition.

"At this point there are no indications that have been provided to myself or Mr Cambridge on how they are going to proceed. The US attorneys' office has had no further conversations regarding the extradition. If they are going to go forward and extradite at that point we would resurrect the bond conversation," she said.

After the initial extradition claim, Ms Sanchez sought to negotiate a bond agreement for Mr Cambridge that would allow him to fly between South Florida and The Bahamas where his wife and family live during the court proceedings.

Ms Sanchez has previously said, her client would "happily come to the United States at the appropriate time under the appropriate conditions and face the charges voluntarily."

Mr Cambridge was co-accused with former vice-mayor of Broward County and Broward County Commissioner, Josephus Eggelleton, along with Florida businessmen Ronald Owens, and Joel Williams, who have all appeared in Miami courts to answer to their changes.

Two of the four defendants pleaded guilty to charges filed against them. Mr Eggelletion pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering in December. Mr Owens pleaded guilty in January and faces sentencing in April.

The trial of Mr Williams was scheduled to get under way yesterday. Mr Cambridge has not been required to act as a witness for either side.