Business Woman Land Forfeited After Money Laundering Conviction

61-year-old businesswoman Eva Mae Sterling, along with two family members had over 100 million dollars of land forfeited to the crown, after being convicted of money laundering recently. The other two co-accused pleaded not guilty after a deal was made with Sterling for admitting and taking liability for the crime.

Her son, Nicholaus Chang, and sister Marline Ledford had over 100 million dollars in property forfeited to the state on Monday in the Supreme Court. Sterling pleaded guilty in May, to two counts of engaging in a transaction involving criminal property contrary to section 92 (1) (a) of the proceeds of crime act.

She was fined J$300,000 or nine months imprisonment on one count, and 12 months imprisonment suspended for 24 months on the second count, for her role in money laundering. Her co-accused Chang and Ledford pleaded not guilty after a plea deal was made with Sterling where she admitted liability for the crime.

The three were arrested and charged in 2017 by detectives from the Counter-Terrorism and Organized Investigation branch. The matter was later referred to the Financial Investigations Division (FID) in 2017.

The FID says the trial resulted from local and international investigations between 2011 and 2014. The trio of Sterling, Chang, and Ledford, conspired to and engaged in money laundering such that the proceeds from drug trafficking, approximately 228 million dollars used to buy six properties across several parishes. 

Allegations are that they used the money to invest in their respective businesses. More details in the report:

Reporter: Justin Graham

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