Legendary Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt recently spoke publicly regarding his almost $1 billion loss due to the failure of Stocks & Securities Limited (SSL), stating that he feels the government is not doing enough to get the money back and implying that he might now need to exert “pressure.”
Nearly 14 months after an alleged $4 billion scam was initially discovered at SSL, in March of last year, Jamaican officials “validated” an allegation that Bolt’s company had been scammed of US$6.2 million, or nearly J$950 million.
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According to investigators, Bolt was one of 200 SSL clients affected by the purported scam. The sprint legend said in an interview with The Fix podcast that he had turned down many invitations from “international people” to talk about his loss because of his passion for his homeland.
He claimed, “Because at the end of the day, it a go hurt Jamaica a lot, so me try avoid that.”
However, he claimed that following more than two years of waiting and several discussions, the situation now seems to be at what he called a “stalemate.”
Bolt remarked, “Now, at some point, me haffi start say sup’n. Clearly, it looks like if me no apply some pressure or do something or start make whole heap o’ questions being asked, me nah go get back nutten.”
He further mentioned, “It’s been two years, and me can’t come to you and say it reach here or we a look up or down. It no reach nowhere; it almost at a stalemate. Something has to happen, some fixing has to go on.”
The 100- and 200-meter world record holder claimed that his expectations and the assistance he believed he would receive from “certain people” had not come to pass.
They asked him whether he meant the Government.
Bold reply, “Ah the Government alone can do something big ‘bout this. Dem ah the only person who can go in and say this need fi fix.”
He said, “It’s been two years,” in response to a question about how involved the government has been. He added, “There have been conversations, but nothing has materialized out of those talks.”
In response to a question about whether he thought enough was being done to address the SSL issue, Bolt said, “No.”
He continued, “If they were doing enough, it would a reach a certain level already.”
Bolt described the pain he had when his business manager, Nugent Walker, often known as NJ, called him to inform him of his missing money.
He used a common cricket expression to explain his response to Walker’s call: “When that happened, it lick me fi six.”
Bolt claimed that his experience has caused me to reflect on “who I am and where I think I was on the food train in Jamaica.”
He concluded on the matter, “If this happen to me and is going on for two years, and me can’t see back a dime… you really start to evaluate…”
