A CANADIAN COUPLE who had been accused of laundering more than US$5.5 million, had the charges discontinued when they appeared in the Holetown Magistrates’ Court on Friday.
Barry and Barbara Dueck, of Coral Cliff, Maynards, St Peter, had been jointly charged with engaging in money laundering, in that they disposed of US$2 838 358, equivalent to BDS$5 676 716, being the proceeds of crime, to wit, theft of money belonging to Jean Delangis of St Peter’s Bay, Road View, St Peter.
The couple were also jointly charged that between March 27, 2006 and June 6, 2014, they stole US$2 094 939, equivalent to BDS$4 189 878, belonging to Robert Richardson of Forest Hills, Royal Westmoreland, St James; that between March 27, 2006 and June 6, 2014, they engaged in money laundering in that they disposed of US$2 094 939 being the proceeds of crime: to wit, theft of money.
The 63-year-old husband was solely charged with stealing US$2 838 358 belonging to Delangis, between January 18, 2013 and June 5, 2014; that not being an authorised foreign exchange dealer, he did acts preparatory to buying and selling foreign currency, to wit, United States currency, to people unknown outside of Barbados without the permission of the exchange control authority of the Central Bank of Barbados.
They were initially remanded but were each later released by the High Court on $2.5 million bail.
On Friday, when the couple appeared before Magistrate Wanda Blair at the Holetown Magistrates’ Court, Director of Public Prosecutions Charles Leacock QC, discontinued the matter.
The two, who were represented by Queen’s Counsel Andrew Pilgrim and Barry Gale, were later told they were free to go.  (HLE)
