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Sport Minister Brent Sancho could feasibly find himself reported to the Integrity Commission after leaked documentation showed that CONCACAF money due to the Pro League club was diverted into the minister’s personal bank account.
Sancho is a former World Cup 2006 player and CEO of local Pro League club, Central FC.
(Courtesy SPORTT)
Then Central FC operations manager Kevin Harrison admitted that he directed CONCACAF to wire US$40,000 (TT$253,000) to a United States-based bank account owned by Sancho. Harrison, who is British, also serves as advisor to the Sport Minister and is paid by the Trinidad and Tobago Government.
The CONCACAF payment was supposed to help the “Couva Sharks” with expenses for their trip to Los Angeles where they faced MLS team, LA Galaxy, in the Champions League.
Sancho was appointed as Sport Minister on 2 February 2015 and has repeatedly insisted that he is not involved in Central business due to the obvious conflict of interest.
The Sport Minister declined comment on the payment to his account. However, Harrison tried to clear it up.
Why was CONCACAF directed to send money to Sancho in July, five months after his appointment as Sport Minister?
Harrison suggested that the CONCACAF paperwork happened while Sancho was still Central CEO.
“The only reason I think CONCACAF would have even a record of Brent Sancho,” Harrison told Wired868, “is because we had to apply (for the CONCACAF Champions League) early.”
Wired868 can confirm that Central had not even qualified for the Champions League when Sancho was appointed Sport Minister.
Central only booked its spot in the Champions League on 22 May 2015 after a penalty shoot out win over Haitian club, Don Bosco. And CONCACAF asked qualified teams to send bank details on 28 May 2015.
Why did Harrison not forward the club’s bank details rather than Sancho’s?
“Central didn’t have a US bank account at the time,” said Harrison. “When we filled out all the application forms, the only US account we had access to was Brent’s own. So we put that down for ease of use.”
There is no stipulation that the club needed a US bank account.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
More relevantly, Harrison did not explain why Central did not simply open a US account, since CONCACAF gave the Sharks between May 28 and June 12, roughly two weeks, to provide the necessary bank details.
Interestingly, Sancho did not immediately forward the US$40,000 to Central when he received it. Instead, as the Sharks prepared to face Galaxy, other club officials received word that they were due money for their trip to the United States.
Harrison admitted that there was a time lag before Sancho relayed the money to the relevant club officials. In the interim, Central struggled to get visas and tickets in time and the players travelled to Los Angeles in three batches.
They were subsequently thrashed 5-1 by Galaxy.
“We got an enquiry from Central FC (who asked) did you receive money,” said Harrison, “and lo and behold the money was there (in Sancho’s account). I personally got the cheque from Sancho and gave it to someone at the club.
“It was for (around) US$39,000 because there were some charges…
“As far as I am aware, Central FC then opened an account afterwards and directed CONCACAF money to be sent there.
“I have not been involved with Central FC since. They keep me out of the loop.”
Adams died on 30 December 2013 after failing to recover from a heart attack.
(Courtesy Allan V. Crane/Wired868)
Central FC, the reigning Pro League and Caribbean club champion team, is owned and largely funded by SIS directors and, contrary to common belief, Sancho is not a part-owner.
The relevant SIS officials are rumoured to be now keen to relinquish their role with Central and sell the club to any interested buyer. However, Wired868 could not confirm this potential change in direction and Harrison said he was unaware of any such moves.
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no sah Mel Lissa…I feel is more of a birds of a feather thing
Uncle Earl, is all about timing eh! But somehow I feel Mr Livewire have a copy of the video and waiting for next week to buss it
He just failed his initiation they find out he stole he not suppose to get ketch.
Nicole if he was chummy with Tanty and her pals long time is the UNC self he learn from!
“Braps”? LOL
I’m not sure about this thing people have saying he learned form the UNC nah….he was very chummy with Kams and her pals long before he became a minister….braps Kams decide she is settling a debt owed to footballers that I never owed but my tax dollars paid….braps he is a minister……he in d ting long before he get dat corbeaux sweat
NO Mel Lissa he did not learn fast…he got caught and he aint even make a year in politics yet
All lies and nonsense Mikhuel Lezama. He is suggesting CONCACAF takes information from every team in the Caribbean in the CFU tournament?
And that CONCACAF will just send US to whoever is listed on an outdated form?
Oh wow..thanks Lasana
UNC logic? He learned fast and well!
Sankko boy, like the UNC is teaching you the dirty tricks of the trade.
How can anyone who has a conscience and some sense of decency, say that they are voting for the UNC.
Why would they feel the need to vote for a gang of thieves?
It look like he like plenty money the easy way.Mixing with the EXPERTS,Will become a PROFESSIONAL very quickly.
Oh gosh corrupted sports minister if you thieving eh, thief in the millions like. Mr. 2 pull and the corrupted Jack Warner nah eh. The sports minister really good yes.
Anything to bring a good man down…SMH….Get the full story b4 u judge fools!
Well you know that he have to play the politricks thing eh so that his corrupted organization TTFA won’t look bad but thank the Lord for Lasana Liburd and Wired 868 for always exposing all of them with the Truth eh. Them really good yes
Somehow i expected you to not comment on the many improper occurrences during his ttfa leadership tenure..
Uncle Tim Kee is a man of integrity and character eh, he is just known as the fix things man eh the same reason why he was on the See Pep board of directors , so hence the reason why he is the Mayor and the treasurer of the PNM and he is smooth talker but Sheldon Phillips take the prize when it comes to talking, oooooggoooodddddd. Them really good yes hahahahaha
I have to say that I am really not that concerned about this whole matter. From the time he joined the current administration, my opinion on these individuals went down and it wasn’t that high to begin with.
I’m no Tim Kee defender, but we are yet to see any actions like this in his roles as Mayor of POS or as PNM Treasurer.
I don’t know why meh nephew Gordon Pierre taking so long to buss the video with him in the hotel room eh, the same like Mr. 2 pull eh, with some of his lady footballers having a time eh. Them really good yes.
mih tv breakdown. ah looking for some interesting videos online to look at………
Richard Zen O’Brien i wish you had warned us about Tim Kee as well..
I have to say i warned you guys about Sancho’s holier than thou mantra. He came in with no credibility. That action is the SAME type of things Warner used to do and he called Tim Kee the ‘new Warner’…now look at him. I always saw him as a fraud.
Further more if alyuh want to know about the corrupted sports minister and his skeletons in his closet eh, and understand that this isn’t the first time he did madness like this eh ask meh friend Leslie Fitzpatrick who also have some files on him with respect to his fete team eh and monies that he got from a certain sponsor in our sweet country and he then denied that he ever did eh and what about when he was on our national team back in the days eh, and he (ALLEGEDLY) took monies from Brent Rahim so pay his hotel bill eh I am really was hoping that was a rumor to yes , so it wasn’t only the corrupted Jack Warner was in the thieving thing long time nah. Them really good yes.
No matter what. Wrong is wrong!
Brent Sancho did Kendall Tull. Their explanations are making things worse in my opinion. At least for people who can analyse and understand chronological order.
And he is gladly tagging Stern J along with him….i would love to hear what some of the former soca warriors has to say abt him
And I doubt very much that Central management or SIS will say anything on this matter Savitri Maharaj because they are all belongs to the same corrupted government UNC steeuuppss Them really good yes
Somebody said that this was a CONCACAF error?
As far as I know, there was a board Brian Icecarnival Jordan. But the board allowed Kevin Harrison to handle matters related to the CONCACAF tournament.
And, according to Harrison himself, after this misstep. The board did not use him any more.
Board not being active is a red flag as well. Who is Chairperson? Shouldn’t the board have designated a point of contact at that time? Is there really a board?
Mel Lissa, here is the bit about Sancho’s explanation that doesn’t ring true.
Central did not play in any CONCACAF competition until about four months AFTER he was made Sport Minister.
So why would his name be on file?
That’s one.
Secondly, CONCACAF did not ask for any information from Central until about five months AFTER he became Sport Minister.
So to say this was a CONCACAF error is hilarious.
But there will always be some folk who are happy to be fooled. I think his explanation makes it worse.
But I like how the headline says Brent Sancho could feasibly find himself reported to the Integrity Commission’ as though this is supposed to cause concern. Aside from a former PM what is the track record of this body? How many more cases piling up at under resourced fraud squad? Where is our whistleblowing legislation?
He will step aside on 7 sept Vernal
“It was for (around) US$39,000 because there were some charges…”
The man expects us to believe that tata? Wire transfer charges in the Americas = US$6 sending bank and SOMETIMES US$12.50 from receiving bank (RBC for example). Grand total = US$18.50 so transfer should have been US$39,981.50 not “around 39K”, but actually maybe that is what he meant…what is US$1,000 for these guys? Peanuts…
Whenever public monies are discovered to have wound up in private accounts internal probes must be automatically triggered as a matter of policy to ascertain how it occurred and ensure systems are put in place so that is doesn’t occur again.
While that is happening, especially in this case where the money ended up in the private account of a government minister he should hold a press conference informing the public of what transpired and that he is temporarily stepping aside until the probe is complete.
Harrison say he directed them to send it there. Sancho say that’s the account they have on record therefore it was an automatic transfer to that account. Them couldn’t get dey stories straight?!
What does “That account was opened well before I was Minister.” supposed to tell us?
Oh lord!
He must keep the money as before he 10 days he was owing 6 months rent and bailiff looking for him.
All professional teams should have a US account knowing that they might be going to the Concacaf club championships or looking for sponsors in the America eh, and the sports minister and his advisor knows that very well so they both better try their best. Them really good yes
They didn’t think they would need a US acct uncle Earl. And we haven’t heard from Central management yet…no statement has been issued
So wait let me get this straight the club new that was going to become a club and didn’t have a constitution, a bank account, treasurer, etc, etc, eh alyuh see why I always calling our professional league ah bootleg league eh, because they should always make certain that all the professional clubs have everything in place to avoid madness like this so that every thing can run smoothly and the sports minister is telling to many lies eh, he should be shot with shit and then get charge for stinkness steeuuppss Them really good yes. Hahahahah
Remove his status as Minister for a minute, why would a single member of a club be the recipient of monies and have his account as the club’s go-through channel? If there was some kind of plausible explanation for the delays in the establishment of a club account (not sure why this would be so) why not through the treasurer? And again, how “new”, or in reverse, how much years of involvement must a Club have in order to have their name registered with the CONCACAF body? My relationship at the club level has not exposed me to certain information as is being discussed here. So, I ask, is there some stipulation to this effect? The way I suspect it is could be answered in the following…..shouldn’t any Pro-League Club in the Region already be under the auspices of their local Federation/Association, which is then an affiliate of the CFU, and by extension, the CONCACAF. And surely, this should carry to the FIFA level as well since there appears to be an automatic link up the chain for that is how Confederations’ Club Champions compete for the World Club Championship. In the end, I know that the Minister is hoping he could prove that there is nothing Sinister (a play on the words) here and, for his and his future’s sake, I hope this is so.
from article, this caught my eye..”
Sancho said he was a director of the club and that though his club had other board members, they weren’t active.
“CONCACAF not knowing any better sent it (the money) to my account. Once I found out about it, I forwarded it onto Central FC, I don’t know what the big deal is about,” the former Soca Warrior said.
Asked why the funds weren’t sent to the club’s account, Sancho said the club didn’t have one at that time
“And I suppose because we were a new club in CONCACAF, they just sent it to the name on record.”
Lol ah weak
He’s an amateur Vernal Damion Cadogan
Sancho boy don’t worry with the haters. While I’m here I’d like to take this opportunity to invite all sports clubs, private citizens and corporate Trinidad to send their money through my personal bank account. Like Sancho I’m always here to lend a hand or in this case my bank account.
I digging how easily Sanko’s stolen money was found.
It have dogs does bury bones better than that!
Well I guess the sports minister and his advisor figured that Mr 2 pull and some of the other corrupted politicians didn’t make any jail time when they stole plenty millions so it is their time now to do the same thing
Them really good yes
Well the Opposition Leader just clarified on the platform that the Hon Minister has questions to answer
Clarified? You make it sound like it is only an issue because he said so. Lol
Great work my friend