Auditors flagged $1.2M unsecured CIFA ‘loans’

Cayman News Service

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CIFA headquarters, Grand Cayman

(CNS): A director with Rankin Berkower, which conducted the Cayman Islands Football Association’s audits, explained to a jury this week how he spotted red flags in the 2014 annual review of CIFA’s books and reported his concerns to the Anti-Corruption Commission. As the trial of Canover Watson and Bruce Blake on charges of fraud and money laundering moved into its third week, the crown focused on loans to CIFA that morphed into sponsorship deals. Prosecutors contend that these were part of a scheme by Watson and Blake to hide money stolen from the regional football body, CONCACAF.

The crown also suggests that these ‘fake loans’ are also tied up with the fortunes of Watson and Blake’s close friend, Jeff Webb. The real loan that CIFA had with Webb’s former local employer, Fidelity Bank, was a stumbling block to his promotion from CIFA president to CONCACAF president and FIFA vice president. That loan was secured by CIFA’s land….

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