NASSAU – Former Free National Movement Cabinet Minister Elma Campbell and her son, attorney Che Chase, are accused of swindling $1.2 million from the Ministry of Tourism.
Campbell, 64, a former magistrate and Ambassador to China, and Chase, 37, both of Fox Hill Road, allegedly stole the money on September 6, 2019.
That’s when prosecutors say Chase cashed a forged Ministry of Tourism cheque made payable to their firm Campbell Chase Law.
Then they allegedly laundered their ill-gotten gains between September 6, 2019 and October 16, 2019.
Prosecutors say Campbell and her son laundered the dirty money through bank transfers, withdrawals and the purchase of a 2020 BMW X4.
They allegedly transferred $465,000 to Bahamas Outdoor Media, a company owned by businessman Damalus Curry, on October 16.
Curry, 38, of Tall Pines, is accused of money laundering regarding that transfer. And he’s denied the accusation.
Chase’s girlfriend Leah Davis also denied helping them conceal the theft.
They allegedly transferred $44,550 to her account in September. Prosecutors, however, dropped the money laundering case against Davis a short time later.
Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt will inform the defendants of their trial venue on March 30.
Ferguson-Pratt denied Campbell and Chase bail. But a Supreme Court judge freed them a short time later.
Curry has been remanded to a police station overnight. His bail hearing is set for Wednesday.
The courtroom was packed to capacity for the arraignment. Court staff had to get extra chairs to accommodate the defendants’ friends and family.
Among the well-wishers were Chase’s father, Haldane Chase; Robert “Sandy” Sands, a hotel executive and relative, and cultural icon, “Fast” Eddie Dames.
