UPDATE: Cornell Penn remanded; trial set for August 28
According to the Antigua Guardian, Penn was slapped with four charges including failing to declare $58,000 (USD).
Penn was arrested on August 7, 2015 following a joint operation between the Office of National Drug and Money Laundering Control Policy (ONDCP), the Immigration Department, the Customs and Excise Division and the Antigua & Barbuda Coast Guard.
According to the ONDCP, Penn had the money in his possession when he was arrested.
He reportedly piloted his motor vessel to Antigua and Barbuda on Wednesday August 5, 2015 and allegedly proceeded to bypass the requirements for arrival into the country.
The newspaper reported that Mr Penn allegedly entered the country via Heritage Quay during the dead of night.
Reports are that there were no customs or immigration officers on duty at the port of entry at the time, so Penn did not declare the cash, which he had in his possession.
The ONDCP in a statement outlined that under the Money Laundering Prevention Act, it is an offence for anyone to fail to declare currencies of US $10,000 or more in cash or monetary instruments.
A person guilty of a money laundering offence is liable on conviction to a fine of $200,000, but which may extend to one million dollars and to imprisonment of a term of seven years.
Reports are that the ONDCP has made application for the detention of the sum until a forfeiture hearing is done.
It is alleged that Penn told the authorities that he came to Antigua to purchase an item with the money. However, upon investigations, this was allegedly proven to be untrue.
Penn’s trial is set for August 28, 2015 before Chief Magistrate Joanne Walsh.
His attorney is Lawrence Daniel.
See previous article posted August 10, 2015
VIslander Cornell Penn arrested with over US$58k in Antigua
- allegedly failed to declare the large sum of money to authorities
Information reaching Virgin Islands News Online from our correspondents in Antigua is that VIslander Cornell Penn was arrested and charged for failing to declare to authorities there a large sum of money he reportedly had in his possession.
Penn, 44, was arrested and charged by the Office of National Drug and Money Laundering Control Policy (ONDCP) for breaches of the money laundering prevention act on August 7, 2015.
The accused was scheduled to appear in court today.
“Penn who was in possession of over US$ 58,000.00 upon his arrest, piloted his motor vessel to Antigua and Barbuda on Wednesday 5th August 2015, and proceeded to bypass the requirements for arrival into the country and failed to declare the cash which he had in his possession,” the Antigua Chronicle reported today, August 10, 2015.
Under the Money Laundering Prevention Act, it is an offence for anyone to Fail to declare currencies of US$ 10,000.00 or more in cash or monetary instruments.
The Antigua Chronicle further stated that the cash was seized and Penn received two (2) charges for his alleged actions, which are Money Laundering offences under the Money Laundering Prevention Act (MLPA).
According to the laws of Antigua, “18A(1) A Customs Officer, Police Officer or ONDCP Officer on duty anywhere in the jurisdiction or a member of the Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force engaged in maritime duties may seize and detain currency if he or she has reason to suspect that it is an instrumentality in the commission of an offence against subsection 18(1) or 18(2) or is the proceeds of crime or is intended by the person for use in unlawful activity.”
The law also states that a person guilty of an offence of Money Laundering is liable on conviction to a fine of two hundred thousand dollars (EC) but which may extend to one million dollars, and to imprisonment of a term of seven years.
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57 Responses to “UPDATE: Cornell Penn remanded; trial set for August 28”
As you say, it is pure hatred, envy, jealousy and insecurity of man. Man to man is so unjust...
If we TRULY adopt Godly ways we wouldn't be like this to one another. Rejoice in righteousness and truth not in unrighteousness.
There are of course belongers and a certain form of aristocracy, but no indigenous...
They just ask you to declare it if its above $10,000 you. they ddidn't say you can't have it dumb @$$!
You people are amazing on here speculating and scandalizing the Honourable Members name with your nonsense.
You could chose your friends not your family. What's does a family members indiscretions have to with another? The ignorance of my people and the lengths we would go to destroy each other baffles me.
Where was he coming from? or going?
The man made law is the law, and if you don't abide with the law, you just have to pay the price,
NO matter who you are.
Hope he dont have to spend any long period of time there, if he does, when he leave he will have more appreciation for the law, no matter where he goes, nothing lilke being lock up.
Money come, Money goes, big deal, but being jailed is something else, wish him luck
That's a lot of money no matter how you look at it. He could have used 10 grand of that pay his way through. Get a clear pass.
routes their flights thru there to see if they can shake down people. I was on a flight that developed a problem and
the plane aborted takeoff on St. Kitts after leaving Antigua for BVI. Nothing from Liat about that in early june, but
when they finally put us on a plane back to Antigua to be put up for 5 hours after being guarded in the St. Kitts airport,
the amount of police and re-entering customs and immigration was disgusting. It was like Nazi Germany. After the
4th time thru security this short cop with attitude demands to see my handkerchief. Well I blew my nose and Heil Hitler
to Antigua. It is a sick third world dictatorship, not a democracy. Everyone should boycott it. And Liat also.
If you know the right thing do the right thing!!