PHILIPSBURG – On Wednesday Member of Parliament Frans Richardson was arrested in Sint Maarten, together with suspect J.H. B.
Both suspects will remain in detention.
Richardson and J.H.B. were presented today by the Public Prosecutor’s Office to the judge of instruction (rechter-commissaris). The judge of instruction judged the arrest correct. The Public Prosecutor ordered thereafter the extended detention with 8 days.
The arrests were the result of the research “Emerald”, an investigation into fraud and corruption in the port of Sint Maarten.
Richardson is suspected of accepting bribes and tax fraud., and participating in a criminal organization aimed at recruiting votes for itself.
The investigation is run by the National Detective Agency of Sint Maarten (Landsrecherche Sint Maarten) under the direction of the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Sint Maarten.