The Integrity Commission has recommended that Minister without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister and Member of Parliament for St Catherine South Central, Dr Andrew Wheatley, be charged with illicit enrichment after investigators found that he possessed assets allegedly disproportionate to his lawful earnings.
The recommendation is contained in a report tabled in Parliament on Wednesday, following an investigation into Wheatleyâs statutory declarations and financial affairs covering the period 2010 to 2022.
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According to the report, investigators concluded that between 2013 and 2022, Wheatley acquired or owned assets that exceeded his known lawful income by approximately $164 million.
âThe DI concludes that Dr Wheatley acquired/owns assets disproportionate to his lawful earnings relevant period (2013 to 2022) for approximately one hundred and sixty-four million dollars ($164,000,000), and when allowed to provide an explanation as to how he came by said assets, he failed to provide a satisfactory explanation,â the report stated.
Investigators also found that Wheatley failed to fully comply with requests for information from the Integrity Commission and omitted several assets and liabilities from statutory declarations submitted in 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2021.
According to the report, those omissions included at least five loans, an investment in a company in which Wheatley served as both a director and shareholder, and incomplete details relating to several properties.
The commission further examined deposits totaling approximately $595 million made to four personal bank accounts held by Wheatley. After accounting for sums that were verified or otherwise satisfactorily explained, investigators determined that about $168 million remained unexplained.
The report also raised concerns regarding tax compliance. It noted that Wheatley filed nil tax returns for 2011 and 2012 in relation to Western Medical, despite evidence that the business was operating during that period and, according to his own testimony, generated revenues of up to $26 million. Concerns were also flagged regarding his personal income tax filings.
Based on its findings, the Director of Investigation recommended that the matter be referred to the Director of Corruption Prosecution for consideration of charges relating to illicit enrichment, false declarations, and failure to provide information.
Wheatley currently serves as minister without portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for science, technology, and special projects.
The report represents a recommendation by the Integrity Commission and does not constitute a finding of guilt. Any criminal charges would be determined by the Director of Corruption Prosecution and the courts.
