BVI News

Claude Skelton Cline arrested, slapped with criminal charges

Former government consultant Pastor Claude Skelton Cline has been arrested in connection with an ongoing criminal investigation into government contracts awarded from 2008 to 2010.

The 58-year-old clergyman from Ballast Bay was charged with two counts of obtaining property by deception, four counts of false accounting, and one count of proceeds of crime, the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) stated on Friday, May 17.

He was served with the charges on that date.

“This comes following a complex investigation led by the COI, which spanned over 18 months. As the matter is now sub judice, the RVIPF will make no further comment,” the police stated.

BVI News will provide more information on this developing story as it becomes available.

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62 Comments

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  1. Comments says:

    Lol yes man you was the one here saying keep two music fest mr governor do us a favor throw away the keys

    Like 57
    Dislike 2
  2. hmm says:

    who next?

    Like 36
    Dislike 1
  3. Interesting. says:

    No surprise this day has arrived. The big question now is whether the government can prove their case.

    To my knowledge, this entire matter surrounds contracts extended to the accused by the previous government. These contracts appears to have been awarded legitimately.

    The controversy relative to those contracts from my understanding has to do with whether or not the accused fulfilled his contractual obligations.

    Unless I am missing something else, this appears to be the crux of the charges and the government case.

    Based on prior media reports and the response given by the accused previously as reported in the media, he believes he had fulfilled his contractual obligations. A jury of his peers will have to sort it out.

    Just for the record, I have no allegiance to the arrested party, but based on everything I have read and come to understand about this matter, I do not believe this will be an easy case for the government.

    I may be proven wrong, but I think it’s a stretch that if someone is given a contract legally, and there is a dispute relative to the satisfaction of the contractual terms, I don’t see how this becomes a criminal case of two counts of obtaining property by deception, four counts of false accounting, and one count of proceeds of crime.

    I gather we will have to await the government’s evidence to know what specifically they are refencing in those charges. It may be more than what I am surmising.

    Nevertheless, if it’s just based on the contracts, I hate to say this, with the DPPs record of convictions and what I believe will be a complex and difficult case to prove, I would not be surprised if they fail to convict here taking into consideration the complexity that this case will present.

    Like 20
    Dislike 6
    • Migoman says:

      I didnt get past your first paragraph. Do you REALLY believe the government is interested in proving this or any other potential cases that comes after one of their own? ..
      Please….

      Like 18
      Dislike 1
    • @interesting says:

      You wrote this long epistle on the entirely wrong matter. You are referring to contracts given under the Andrew Fahie administration. Check the dates in the story. This was under the Ralph O’Neal administration. Why don’t we take the time to read and comprehend in this place. You wrote a long epistle for absolutely nothing!

      Like 25
      Dislike 4
      • @@interesting says:

        It will take chalk and blackboard to explain this to you.

        Like 7
        Dislike 1
      • Shimmy shimmy Yah Shimmy shimmy Yeah says:

        Agreed! Is it a coincidence that the Education Minister was one Andrew Aurturo Fahie. The same one who sitting in a federal holding cell in Florida. Hmmmm.

        Did the Education Department ever retain the services of the accused during that time?

        Was there some collusion between our esteemed former Premier and the accused?

        Will Fahie AKA Fahey AKA Head Coach spill some tea on his xxxxl prison issued uniform out of fear of being sexual trafficked for cigarettes?

        Hmmm

    • The Real Truth says:

      @Interesting, not only did you not read the report properly – this relates to 2008-2010 contracts, but you have no knowledge of what the investigation has found, so your comments are absurd! Your ‘understanding’ is a waste of time reading!

      Like 7
      Dislike 3
    • Time will tell says:

      So far with these cases it appears there is only one winner thus far, that is former DPP Williams,he seems to be racking it in with these judicial review and COI cases etc.

      So the most logical thing the Government can do in this instance is set up a special short term court for these cases with its own judge and DPP hired a set of special prosecutors for these cases. This will help ease the burden on the over work DPP office and court system especially the hundreds that are on remand at HMP. Also if the government loose most of these cases you know what is coming next, so they must put the best foot forward in the circumstances.

  4. Q says:

    Them need to pickup them island man police lowrack Ron Lond Calvn gorge Duran cuppers and the dirt who with gang wife

  5. Well sah says:

    A man of the cloth

    Can this be victimization for the video he did … and speaking out about the two music festivals???

    The country is losing its credibility right before our eyes and we are too blind to see
    Who are we pointing fingers now at:

    The Premier who wanted to bring down the former government by running to the Governor?

    The one man COI
    The UK Government
    Colonialism?
    The present DPP??
    The VIP Government
    The belongets given status
    The foreigners living amongst us??

    Well sah !!

    Dislike 49
  6. Time says:

    Is on the DPP’s side in these crimes. Hopefully some new intelligent young lawyers will join the DPP when this case finally comes to trial in 2030 something.

    Like 14
  7. resident says:

    Praise God

    Like 11
  8. @ INTERESTING & says:

    @ @ interesting, well we will all learn the truth on what really went down and if justice will be served fairly ▪︎ both of you seems to be highly knowledgeable, my respect ✊️ on the streets we hearing of the DPPs record , which has a lot to be ¹ desired / and thats putting putting it nicely ▪︎ some say , that some people getting rich while the criminals is allowed walk freely amongst us, as if what They did never Happened ▪︎ but ( KARMA) is the great EQUALIZER

  9. Slow says:

    Wow…only 14 years and three administrations after the alleged facts…even labor department moves faster than that.

    Like 19
  10. Let’s see now says:

    Should have ran back to Detroit and make them use the long arm of justice to catch him.

    Like 10
  11. I had a bet Yesterday. says:

    Tell me if I am wrong or right. This lady is convinced that the custom boss would walk free and sue the Govt for millions and I disagreed, I said no way, so we call on a $100.00 bet.She still had doubts because she wonders who is Civil servant #1.

    Like 8
    Dislike 1
  12. WEW says:

    Told him several times he should go back to Detroit. You snooze you lose

  13. Ausar says:

    My,my,my..

    His day, HAS, come!

  14. HEAD COACH says:

    My People, Brace yourselves. Lots more to go. We definitely messed up.Especcially with those Social Security Grants. Pray for US.

    Like 10
    Dislike 1
  15. Reynaldo says:

    In my humble opinion, in every consultancy contract, there are deliverables that are required to justify payments. Therefore, it is partly the government’s fault if he was paid without having submitted the specified deliverables to the satisfaction of the person responsible for certifying the man’s invoices. If he can prove that he did submit the required deliverables within the time allotted, and they were accepted and approved for payment, then he may have a strong case. His reports (if they exist), should be made available to the public since they were paid for by government funds.

    Like 11
    Dislike 0
    • @Reynaldo says:

      Good summary; however, he took money for things he did not do just like government paid it and knew he didn’t do it. He is party to the crime and anyone else involved in it should be sent to court too. He’s not innocent

      • Lol says:

        Some folks very nervous about now..just about everybody involved in drafting, and signing those contracts and everyone involved in approving those payments

  16. Styles. says:

    Good.

    Let’s all remember Natalio voted in favour to engage in these contracts.

    Like 16
    Dislike 3
    • Styles. says:

      Apologies. Got the dates wrong.

      Natalio was not in office during this time.

      Natalio was involved later only (still sketchy to be honest.)

  17. Car parts & credit car bills.. says:

    Up next…..ayo got this ting fah ah joke!

    BRAGGADAMN!

    White collar crimes never pursued or won by BVI GOVERNMENT!!!

    • Query says:

      He from hers?????
      He is a non BVIslander is my understanding.
      His mother iz/ was from updeislun and daddy is a ?

      Like 2
      Dislike 2
      • @Query says:

        Referring to the BF that got money for credit card bill and her mommy that go bills paid for by tax payer monies. What you on about you bullfrog in a wig?

  18. I says:

    I don’t like the best Bone I clord . But #1 he from here and them same island man police need to be were he is clord I will never rejoice or wish jail for u .

  19. Secret Ways says:

    Is this case for CSC going to end up like the one with Wade Smith and then he turn round and sue the Government?

    What about those other Officers who have been charged with Breach of Trust and the PS who was sent home on Administrative Leave – the one who was working in the former Ex-Premier Office?

    Inquiry Minds wants to know

  20. @styles says:

    Go read the dates he is being done for. That is when Andrew Fahie was minister of education and he gave the contract for the after school programs but none of the money went to actual after school programs.
    Natalio was still b**ging college people then.

  21. Lauper says:

    Wasn’t there a Contract concerning him that the COI had questioned the Auditor General about? I stand ti be corrected, but I seem to recall that he was overpaid, the overpayment was brought to his attention, but he didn’t return the funds.

    Don’t know if the charge is about this. In any event, it’s too early ti speculate about the government’s case against him or how he’ll stand up in the court. We must remember that only the evidence presented in court matters. What the street says has nothing to do with anything.

  22. @styles says:

    reading is fundamental, these charges were from contracts that were between 2008 and 2010, showande had nothing to do with these

  23. Sammy says:

    He is a non BVIslander.
    Hence the hyphenated last names.
    We should see his birth certificate and his ” daddy acknowledgement,at least.

    Like 1
    Dislike 3
  24. Prosecution? says:

    Good for us that someone at least points out the crimes here!
    Magistrate process will kill this. Too many people that can be paid off in this system and all behind closed doors.
    Now it is our turn to vote these clowns out!

  25. Ausar says:

    “Sammy”, hyphenation in this case, means he wasn’t born in wedlock..skelton= daddy, cline = mommas last name..

  26. To Reynaldo says:

    The government was in cahoots with him and that’s the most disturbing part. They signed off on work not done and paid him in full. The place is rotten to the core but we like to blame “the white man” when it is convenient.

    Like 15
    Dislike 1
  27. What!!! says:

    Let us hope that the DDP gets some professional help before this case comes to trial , her track record is abysmal.

  28. Hard working citizen says:

    “Justice will soon be served!”
    Just as he preaches every Sunday.
    Criminals who hide behind religion are the worst kind!
    I want my money back! This government has failed us for too long! And they are still trying to hide things from us and continue corrupting the country and it’s people!

  29. @HARDD WORKING CITIZEN says:

    are you sure? one of the wannabe past-asz from CGB , has proudly stated , that he can swear on the Bible that there is no CORRUPTION on this holy land/ we wonder how the people who listened to him in church feels now ❓️. after realizing ,that All 3 Of them are of the same FEATHER

  30. Yes... says:

    Who is next? my money on dem EE barge family.

  31. What!!! says:

    “Yes”
    Maybe Sea Cow Bay inner harbor marina debacle.

  32. Please add says:

    Needs to be charged with attempting to sell pizza. That stuff is awful.
    School children still note the materials and colors of his home.

  33. Samsung says:

    CSC and Head Coach brought this on themselves. They were busy trying to destroy other people and cause problems with the governor. Look now

  34. Omar says:

    Local charges need to be brought against Head Coach in this matter as well. He was the one (while minister for education) who gave Claude those contracts. Additionally, who ever was the Financial Secretary at the time, should be arrested and charged as he knows all about those contracts and was basically in on the corruption with Head Coach and Claude.

  35. One love says:

    You like drama you got it matey..rule Britannia

  36. FACIAL EXPRESSION says:

    is saying )> after I did mah ting in Detroit , I did mah moonwalk outa there , the Uk , ain’t no difference ,watch your boi flex off my hidden talent on these BRITS with mah WITS / ama sho um how bad I aA

  37. Anonymous says:

    What do we have here….. we all should have seen this coming. Minister Claude is a bad egg. He ran to the BVI right after the mayor of Detroit, who he was the spiritual advisor for got in trouble. He was the spiritual advisor for Andrew Fahie and he got in trouble. Who do you think was behind both politicians, Calude O Skelton Cline, that’s who. I applauded the BVI for charging him, where are you going to run now Claude?

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