Central
Bank says still pursuing GoldQuest, pyramid schemes
The Central Bank has rejected claims
that ongoing investigations on controversial pyramid
and multi-level marketing schemes have been discontinued
and that any illegal activity would be left unchecked
is misleading.
It was responding to reports in newspapers
that the investigations have stopped essentially due
to the alleged involvement of Central Bank Governor
Nivard Cabraal in the GoldQuest scam.
The Bank said its Special Investigations
Unit (SIU) was established in 2005 to deal with investigations
on unauthorized deposit soliciting institutions and
pyramid and multi-level marketing operations that were
spreading in the country. Three Investigating Officers
were released by the Police Department at the time of
setting up this unit to facilitate these investigations.
“After a year of operations, the IGP has requested
that these officers be released so as to revert them
to their substantive duties in the Police Department
in view of urgent national needs. Consequently, the
on-going and pending operations of the SIU have been
handed over to the respective departments in the Central
Bank. Such departments will continue to handle these
operations with the assistance of Police investigation
units, whenever found necessary. Accordingly, the administrative
restructuring arising out of the release of the Police
officers would in no way jeopardize any on-going investigation,
nor would it dilute the commitment of the Central Bank
in its efforts to effectively deal with unauthorized
deposit soliciting or multi-level marketing and pyramid
operations,” the statement said. |