Criminal charges have been filed against three people in an ongoing corruption investigation involving the Cayman Islands Immigration Department.
The charges were filed against two of the suspects more than a year after they were first arrested in January 2017 in connection with the probe. The fate of 10 other people who were arrested over the course of last year in the Anti-Corruption Commission investigation is still unknown. According to a press release from the Commission, two of the individuals now charged are public officials.
Santo Castro Castillo has been charged with 11 counts of conspiracy to commit fraud on the government and three counts of conspiracy to commit a breach of trust under the Cayman Islands Anti-Corruption Law (2010) (the “Anti-Corruption Law”). Diane Dey-Rankin was charged with three counts of conspiracy to commit fraud on the government and one count of failing to report the solicitation of an advantage, contrary to the Anti-Corruption Law. Pheadra McDonald was charged with four counts of conspiracy to commit fraud on the government and one count of failing to report the solicitation of an advantage, contrary to the Anti-Corruption Law. Both Ms. Dey-Rankin and Ms. McDonald are employed with the Immigration Department.
Department officials have confirmed that both have been placed on leave with pay.
All three suspects are due to appear in Summary Court on April 10, 2018, and have been released on police bail until that time.
