Friday, January 23, 2015
David Smith, the Jamaican head of the failed investment scheme Olint, was yesterday released from a Turks and Caicos Islands prison after serving just over three years of a six-year sentence.
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| David Smith |
His early release, which the TCI Sun newspaper reported was due to good behaviour, should have been followed by his extradition to the United States to serve a 30-year sentence handed to him in August 2011.
However, a source in the Turks and Caicos Islands said his lawyer, Oliver Smith (no relation), filed an appeal to stop the extradition.
"The appeal was filed in the Grand Turk Magistrate's Court before Clifton Warner," the source said. "Our understanding is that it is now being handled by the Attorney General Rhondalee Brathwaite-Knowles."
The source added that Oliver Smith declined to comment when asked why his client was released early. However, the source said David Smith was released into the custody of the police.
David Smith, who was accused of defrauding thousands of customers of more than US$220 million, was convicted in the United States District Court in Orlando, Florida after pleading guilty to 18 counts of money laundering, four counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
US District Judge Mary Scriven handed down the sentence on August 11, 2011 after hearing three hours of legal arguments and victim testimony, which was emotional at times.
Assistant US Attorney Bruce Ambrose told Judge Scriven that the government proposed a minimum sentence of 30 years in prison. more
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