In a landmark ruling on Tuesday, the Supreme Court found Andrew “French” Wright, Oneil Hope, and Rudolph Barnes guilty of multiple counts of fraud, including conspiracy to defraud, acquisition and use of criminal property, and larceny as a servant. The charges stem from a $222 million fraud scheme against INSPORTS, a government sports agency, between 2010 and 2017. The case was uncovered following an internal audit and subsequent investigation by the Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency. Wright, a former financial controller at INSPORTS and a prominent party promoter, was arrested in 2013 while contesting his dismissal from the agency. He was convicted on 13 counts of fraud by Justice Ann-Marie Lawrence-Grainger in the Home Circuit Court in Kingston. Hope and Barnes were found guilty on eight and 11 counts, respectively. Attorneys for Wright and Hope have announced plans to appeal the verdict, citing multiple grounds for challenging the decision. Wright’s legal team argued that his earnings were from his party promotion business, Chug It, but the court dismissed this claim, stating that INSPORTS funds were “intertwined” with his personal finances. The court also highlighted evidence of fraudulent invoices and unauthorized payments, leading to significant financial losses for INSPORTS. All three defendants have been remanded until their sentencing on November 21. Meanwhile, three former INSPORTS employees were acquitted of any wrongdoing.
