Former Chief Executive officer of Stocks and Securities Limited (SSL) Zachary Harding, has declared that he has always acted in compliance with the law and with the highest level of integrity. 

He was one of three people charged at the weekend in the ongoing SSL investigation. 

The others are: SSL Founder Hugh Croskery and Sarah Meany.

They are facing charges of breaches of the bank of Jamaica Act, Securities act, Larceny Act, Companies Act and Banking Services Act.

Mr. Harding in a statement through his Attorney Jacqueline Samuels-Brown, KC noted that he voluntarily attended the offices of the Financial Investigations Division on Saturday accompanied by his attorney .

The statement points out that since the issues at SSL first came to light in 2023, Mr. Harding communicated with the police through his attorney, assuring them of his availability and willingness to assist with any investigation. 

It adds that the proceedings and question and answer session marked the first time in three years that Mr. Harding has been interviewed by any investigative body.  

Mr. Harding and his attorney state that based on the questioning and information provided by investigators, there was no allegation that he  was the beneficiary of or involved in any way with any misappropriation of funds or theft of money from Usain Bolt’s account or that of any other SSL clients’ accounts.

They add that official records from the Financial Services Commission (FSC) and the Bank of Jamaica will confirm that during his tenure, Mr. Harding prioritized legal and regulatory compliance maintained open communication with regulators, adhered to their directives and acted under the guidance of reputable legal counsel and independent external auditors.  

According to the statement, he proactively engaged the FSC, implemented clear corrective plans and worked under its  ongoing oversight to address long-standing issues that existed before his involvement with SSL. 

The statement adds that as these matters are now before the court, there will be no further comment on any specific evidentiary detail and they await the dispensation of justice through the courts. 

They are strongly cautioning against the continued spreading of misinformation saying this in no way helps in achieving fair resolution and justice.   

They urge all parties to allow the justice system to function based on facts, rather than unverified assertions and assumptions.