The woman who admitted to stealing from Olympian sprint legend Usain Bolt’s retirement account will remain behind bars after being denied bail for a second time. Still, many Jamaicans question if she acted alone in pulling off the nation’s largest financial scam.
Although it is unclear how much money Jean-Ann Panton stole from nearly 40 investment accounts at the Jamaican financial firm Stocks and Securities Limites, she twice admitted to swiping money from customers to cover medical bills for ailing family members.
The wheelchair-bound ex-employee sought Friday, Feb. 24, to await her fate outside the bounds of jail because of severe diabetes and immobility.
As the news broke that Panton, who was arrested on June 17, would remain behind bars for at least two months, many on social media called on the former client relationship manager to name her accomplices. Panton was seen on video being pushed out of the Supreme Court by an officer while holding a walker in her lap on Friday following her second bond hearing.
“I personally think she was the fall person because there is absolutely no way she could scam so many people without others higher up not notice or being part of the scam,” Anthony Welch wrote.
“I find it so amazing that this woman did all of this on her own. She was smarter than every manager, every Board Director, everybody? Yeah, right!” wrote Ingrid Green.
About J$3 billion or $19.4 million is said to be missing from the 39 SSL accounts. Bolt’s lawyers said he was ripped off more than $12 million from his investment account listed under his business name. Recent reports point to a $6.1 million investment listed under Bolt’s holding company, WellJen Limited.
Panton told SSL she modified and fabricated requests to move the money.
According to company representatives, Panton was first investigated by the firm in September after sending a client a “false” statement. However, a disciplinary board…
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