Sidney Cambridge - former treasurer of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) has been declared a "fugitive from justice" by a Florida judge

Former top PLP declared 'fugitive'


By ALISON LOWE
Tribune Staff Reporter
alowe@tribunemedia.net:


ATTORNEY Sidney Cambridge, who is accused of involvement in a $900,000 money-laundering scheme with a US politician, has been declared a "fugitive from justice" by a Florida judge.

Contrary to reports in a local tabloid that Cambridge may be "off the hook", documents seen by The Tribune reveal that the attorney's case has been "transferred to the suspended/fugitive file until such time as he is apprehended."

The order, signed by United States District Judge Daniel Hurley, was made in light of the fact that a review of Cambridge's file led to him being determined "a fugitive from justice."

The judge further ordered the Clerk of the Court to designate the file "closed" for the time being.

Cambridge's US attorney, Lilly Ann Sanchez, said she and her client, who has asserted his innocence, are hoping US prosecutors have "reassessed" their case against the Bahamian lawyer.

However, she admitted that rather than evidence of the case being dropped entirely, the order is an administrative and "routine" one issued in cases where a defendant has not come to the US to face charges against him.

The order requires the Court to move the file off the "active docket" caseload.

Cambridge was formally indicted in a Florida court in November 2009 on one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and five counts of money laundering. An arrest warrant was issued for him at that time.

The laundering scheme was allegedly masterminded by Florida's Broward County Commissioner Josephus Eggelletion, who was last month jailed for two and a half years, fined $10,000 and ordered to be placed on three-year supervised probation when released for his part in the plot.

Cambridge was accused by US prosecutors of having conspired with Mr Eggelletion and others to "unjustly enrich" himself "by obtaining fees for laundering purported fraudulent proceeds through Bahamian bank accounts" and "knowingly and wilfully" attempting to hide the real source of thousands of dollars which he was told were the proceeds of illegal activity.

He immediately resigned as a partner in the law firm Callenders and Co, as well as from his position as treasurer of the Progressive Liberal Party and the Bahamas Bar Association after being indicted.

Yesterday Ms Sanchez said she was unaware of any extradition request having been issued by the US government for Cambridge and feels that "a lot can be inferred from the fact that the US government has not aggressively pursued" the attorney.

"I have had a conversation with the (US) government that if they do want Mr Cambridge to come to the United States and plan to extradite him that they are to consult with me first because Mr Cambridge would happily come to the United States at the appropriate time under the appropriate conditions and face the charges voluntarily," said the lawyer, who specialises in defending individual accused of "white collar" crimes.

The Tribune reported in November of 2009 that Ms Sanchez was negotiating with US prosecutors to get a bond agreement for Mr Cambridge that would allow him to fly between South Florida and The Bahamas where his wife and family live if he came to face the charges against him in the US.

Yesterday Ms Sanchez said these discussions did "not reach a final resolution." Discussions on this aspect of the case are no longer active as the US government "has not pushed further to have (Cambridge) come to the US," she added.

The attorney claims that a review of the transcripts and reports compiled by US investigators on the alleged money-laundering scheme show that "there are very clear indications that Cambridge was told all along that there is no issue with this money (which Mr Eggelletion was supposed to have been seeking to launder) and it was clean."

April 09, 2010

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