‘Something has to happen’… Usain Bolt wants more action from gov’t amid near $1-billion SSL fraud loss

Jamaican sprint legend Usain Bolt is speaking out about his near $1-billion loss from the collapse of the investment firm Stocks & Securities Limited (SSL), saying he does not believe the Government is doing enough to have the money returned and hinting that he may now have to apply “pressure”.

In March last year, almost 14 months after an alleged $4-billion fraud was first uncovered at SSL, Jamaican authorities “validated” a claim that a company owned by Bolt was allegedly defrauded of US$6.2 million or almost J$950 million.

He was among 200 SSL clients impacted by the alleged fraud, authorities disclosed.

The sprint icon disclosed, during an appearance on The Fix podcast, that he has declined numerous requests from “international people” to speak about his loss because of his love for his country.

“Because at the end of the day, it a go hurt Jamaica a lot, so me try avoid that,” he explained.

However, he said that after several conversations and waiting over two years, things appear to be at what he described as a “stalemate”.

“Now, at some point, me haffi start say sup’n. Clearly, it looks like if me no apply some pressure or do something or start make whole heap o’ questions being asked, me nah go get back nutten,” Bolt said.

“It’s been two years, and me can’t come to you and say it reach here or we a look up or down. It no reach nowhere; it almost at a stalemate. Something has to happen, some fixing has to go on,” he added.

The 100m and 200m world record holder said what he expected to see happen, and the help he thought he would get from “certain people”, has not materialised.

He was asked if he was referring to the Government.

“Ah the Government alone can do something big ‘bout this. Dem ah the only person who can go in and say this need fi fix,” Bolt responded.

When asked how active the Government has been, he replied: “It’s been two years.”

“There have been conversations, but nothing has materialised out of those talks.”

The global sprint icon replied “no” when asked if he believed enough was being done to resolve the SSL issue.

“If they were doing enough, it would a reach a certain level already,” he reasoned.

Bolt recounted the hurt he felt when he was first alerted to his missing funds through a telephone call from his business manager, Nugent Walker, also known as NJ.

“When that happened, it lick me fi six,” he said, using a popular cricket term to describe his reaction to the call from Walker.

Bolt said his ordeal has “made me look at who I am and where I think I was on the food train in Jamaica.”

“If this happen to me and is going on for two years, and me can’t see back a dime… you really start to evaluate…”

- Livern Barrett

Follow The Gleaner on X, formerly Twitter, and Instagram @JamaicaGleaner and on Facebook @GleanerJamaica. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169 or email us at onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com or editors@gleanerjm.com.