Bahamian accountant, Michael Hepburn, whose trial on five counts of alleged money-laundering and conspiracy to commit money-laundering will start August 11, has seen his business interest in this nation suffer as a result of bond conditions that have confined him to his daughter's home in South Florida.
Mr. Hepburn filed a motion seeking permission to travel to Nassau, which was denied, claiming that some of his Bahamas-based business interests were being "negatively impacted" by his confinement and travel restrictions. He claimed that three of his companies had "closed" and "the others are in danger of closing".
The companies listed on the application as those "closed" were Key West Swiss Investment Bank in Barbados, all three Kenny Rogers Roasters restaurants and the offices of World Wide Travel, a travel agency.
The US government claimed he could use his financial resources to flee to another jurisdiction and alleged that there was "substantial weight of evidence against the defendant for the charged offences".
Source: Neil Hartnell, The Tribune
