The top leader of Antigua and Barbuda is standing firm in his legal battle against two individuals who have levelled false corruption accusations against him, tying the claims to a multi-million-dollar transaction involving the luxury Alfa Nero superyacht. Prime Minister Gaston Browne reaffirmed his commitment to seeing the defamation lawsuit through during a recent appearance on his weekly public program, the Browne and Browne Show, held Saturday.
Browne clarified that the legal action he launched gives the two accused parties a formal platform to prove the claims they made publicly, which include allegations that he embezzled $10 million in public funds tied to the Alfa Nero deal. To date, the prime minister says the defendants have avoided confronting the claims in a legal setting, effectively running from the opportunity to back up their statements under oath.
According to details shared by Browne, one of the two defendants already attempted to get the entire lawsuit thrown out by the courts, but their motion was rejected outright. The judicial ruling cleared the way for the full defamation claim to move forward through the legal system. For the second defendant, a man named DeLuca, Browne confirmed that court documents have now been officially delivered, bringing him formally into the pending case.
“I’m not relenting,” Browne emphasized in his public comments, framing the lawsuit as far more than a personal legal matter. Beyond protecting his own reputation, dignity and personal integrity, the prime minister argued that the case also defends the global standing and institutional integrity of Antigua and Barbuda as a sovereign nation. “I’m defending my dignity, I’m defending my integrity, and by so doing, I’m also defending the dignity and integrity of our state,” he added.
Browne acknowledged that holding public office inherently comes with fair criticism and public scrutiny, a reality he accepts as part of serving in government. But he drew a clear line between legitimate policy critique and false, damaging statements that attack his character through unfounded corruption claims. For this type of defamatory material, Browne made clear he will not hesitate to use legal channels to clear his name. As of the latest update, all allegations remain under active judicial review and have not been proven in a court of law.
PM Browne Says He Is ‘Not Relenting’ in US Defamation Lawsuit
