FNM Leader Calls for Wider Probe into Top Notch Builders Case

The Bahamas: The leader of the Free National Movement (FNM), Michael Pintard has urged the Police Commissioner Shanta Knowles to widen the investigation into the drug trafficking case that involves Jonathan Eric Gardiner. He says that new information on the case has raised some serious questions about the company’s involvement in illegal financial activities.

This centres around the suspicion of whether Top Notch Builders have been used to conceal funds linked to the drug trafficking matter or not. This high-profile drug trafficking case involves Jonathan Eric Gardiner. According to Pintard, even though Gardiner is not listed as the owner of the company, he might have been controlling the financial transactions of the company. According to these concerns, he urged the commissioner to widen the investigations.

In a letter to the commissioner, Pintard said that the evidence suggests a possible gap between Top Notch Builders’ corporate records. He alleged that there is a mismatch between the original owner of the company and the person who is actually in charge of transactions.

He claimed that Gardiner is not directly related to the firm and is not mentioned in the company’s corporate filings. But he might have direct access to the company’s accounts. He might have also withdrawn some money from the bank accounts.

Pintard pointed out that it may be a warning sign, he said if a company has a different owner on paper but a different person is actually controlling the finances then there are chances that it is a shell company. And this company might be getting used in hiding the identity of the person in charge of the transactions.

He requested the investigators to carry out a full forensic review of all the bank accounts that are under the name of the alleged firm. In the letter, Pintard has also asked the investigators to identify who had the signing authority over the banks.

Pintard also asked the investigators to examine the Know Your Customer (KYC) records and beneficial ownership documents of the firm. He said that these records can help in determining if any other individual who is not mentioned in the company’s official filings has been identified as a beneficial owner or not.

He has requested the investigators to identify the relation between Top Notch Builders and the Renaissance Carmichael Village housing project. Additionally, he has also asked the police to trace the company’s transactions with its subsidiaries, affiliated companies and public sector entities. He said that this would help determine if the payments from government contracts were routed through other companies.

The investigations are ongoing as the response of the commissioner to Pintard’s request is still awaited.