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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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Lasana Liburd is the managing director and chief editor at Wired868.com and a journalist with over 20 years experience at several Trinidad and Tobago and international publications including Play the Game, World Soccer, UK Guardian and the Trinidad Express.
BOTTOM LINE is this: Either Sancho was shady (possible) or whomever he left in charge of CFC was incompetent (at least) or a lazy administrator (most likely scenario).
in either case, these kinds of deals are never good when your character is already under question
The conflict of interest is that the money is bound for the club of which he WAS CEO and part owner. In collecting the money that was destined for Central FC he has not “stolen” money, what he has done is not recuse himself and declared his interest or conflict of interest. What should have happened is that Minister Sancho should have put his business in “trust” of a legal person who would have acted on his behalf. I thought Harrison ma have been that person, but then Harrison joined him at the ministry I believe. If Minister Sancho deposited that money in the Club’s account then he may arguably have simply been a courier, if he did not well he may have some explaining to do.
No wonder he was thought suitable to be an UNC candidate
Sanko large!
Calling Loretta Lynch
A little sensationalised. Not proper protocol but done by the request of Central FC.
Unless he had no intention of repaying The Club didn’t get the money in time It wasn’t till long after when it was requested or the funds weren’t managed properly
Missing the point. He was a minister on government when those funds went to his personal account
ISN’T THIS THE SAME THING jACK WARNER DID?????
I get the feeling that people reply to my comment did not read the entirety of the article.
Oh really, shucks man he get away ok then more files to buss. Them really good yes.
They are thieves Vote the UNC out
TEIF
ENT Claude!!
Among other things!
is this conflict of interest
And Lebanon based David Nakhid is trying for the post of FIFA president. How it go look? I tell you how. Like every administrator from T&T is a thief. Nah, this goes beyond ugly. Tell me Lasana, it eh so!
Proverbial cookie jar?? But if he paid the monies minus approx 1000 …..that’s feasible ….there are significant fees involved in a foreign transfer transaction. Jus sayin ….
You serious…US$1000….sorry it is more like $100 at the max.
This article should have opened with ” In a move reminiscent of classic Jack Warner…..”
and ended with
” Given Sancho ‘ s frequent and vociferous criticism of JW for similar actions, is this a case of the pot calling the kettle black?” .
Nothing will come of this Earl.
I’m surprised at this bit of information but not, i mean, anyone who would align himself to the UNC after corruption after corruption scandal and subsequent evidence unearthed and exposed, the abuse dispensed by this PM, her personal general Ramlogan, and the rest of her government against the citizens of this country, has to be like minded. A real shame though!
The corrupted Jack Warner here there and everywhere the same eh, so I am waiting very patiently to see what comes out of this. Them really good yes
Jevon, it appears Central opened a US$ account, likely here in Trinidad, and the funds were transferred to there. My point was that the money was paid into an account in the US. The local banks didn’t do anything wrong in this case.
The man is a quick learner! ENT?
No uncle Philip Ignacio SC he was always known for having sticky fingers like that eh as meh friend Dion Sosa. Them really good yes
Wait Kendall your last comment confused me, so in what currency was the money returned?
Additional money is paid up to include bank charges, it is not part of the subscription….then 20 to 40 $USD chg max
He is a quick learner! ENT?
Sancho, serenading Aunty Kams in the style of Whitney Houston – …. I learned from the best; I learned from you …
Lasana, did I not predict that Sancho’s legacy from this “cobo sweat” as Sports Minister would be an overwhelmingly negative one?
Another dotish appointment by Her Majesty…
Leh meh make a call to the FBI eh because it seems like the sports minister wants to be on the same white plane that will be coming for the corrupted Jack Warner. Them really good yes
And there are valid business reasons why you would not send a US$ payment to a TT$ account. Just look at the current insanity in sourcing US$ and you will see that taking that payment into TT$ account would not have made sense from a business perspective.
What this also shows is how loose CONCACAF is in handling financial transactions. I would NEVER send a company payment to a personal account without query at the very least.
time to talk fellahs, if yuh chastising TK and TTFA, make sure you don’t have any skeletons in your closet…
$1000 was a facilitation fee? Money can’t be wired to a local bank account? wth?? Steups
Lol. Again – not defending anything or anyone. Just looking at the transaction from the legal perspective.
Ok. There was some ambiguity regarding that. It was not a very fluent interview. But I suppose I owe them the benefit of the doubt there. Touche
Lasana Liburd:
“And why did they start a bank account based in the US for that transaction Kendall Tull?”
The information in the article as well as the timing suggests that this account of Sancho’s was in existence before this transaction. Your comment seemed to imply that the account was opened specifically for this transaction.
What di you mean it was a pre-existing account Kendall Tull?
Keep in mind as well that the annual declaration of assets and income for the IC is May 31st annually. If the income came thereafter which it seems to have based on the article, at best it would have to be declared next year. Again, I would also say that this doesn’t meet the criteria to be considered income either so unless you have a reference to the act otherwise, there is nothing to answer to the IC in this matter.
Again, not excusing or justifying the act. Just clarifying that I think your learned advisor was incorrect to state that it is a matter for the IC.
If anyone has specific knowledge otherwise, feel free to correct me interpretation of the Act and the transaction.
If I was he father I would be shame since the day he join the UNC
Too brite fuh he own good! This will make his father, Anthony, shame.
he damn brite too Mel
Article also says he wrote a cheque for the club so they got the money….sensationalised headlines again
The money should not have gone to his account at all! talk done
Sanko brite!
bout charges…a US based bank to a US based bank? If dem charges was USD20 dey was plenty!!!
That’s the thing Lasana, it was a pre-existing account based on the timing. I am still of the view that there is no charge to be answered to the IC in this particular transaction. That doesn’t mean that its not suspicious nor does it mean that it doesn’t make Central FC and the Minister look foolish.
Any incident involving financial impropriety, breach of ethics etc. is within the proper purview of the Integrity Commission. This qualifies (however marginal) as both.
Ogord! VDC; doh even think that!
Hear nah! that was the UNC plan, eh. I know personally of what I speak. Tobago is to a large extent quite underdeveloped and within one year of the PP victory there was a curious influx of Trinis and Guyanese into Tobago. Guys would come into a store I was assisting in managing on the NIB Mall in Scarborough wearing rubber slippers to purchase construction boots because they had secured a wuk on the library or with a contractor working on laying a new airstrip at the ANR Robinson airport @ Crown Point. I could say more but suffice this for now.
When the PNM takes over they will have to establish a criminal court industry to deal with this administration!
No. He paid most of the money less expenses. (Insert punchline here)
There’s an old saying measure twice and cut once, when holding public office measure 5 times then cut.
And why did they start a bank account based in the US for that transaction Kendall Tull?
It looks clumsy. Farcically clumsy. If they report it to IC, they are clear. If they don’t, it is a suspicious transaction even if it stayed there for just an hour.
Wow… no surprise here
Lasana so the money still in his account?
I vote smart man who got caught
And I second that motion!!!!!!
This happened the day after the US moved against FIFA.