Immigration Cashier Still on the Run in Public Funds Embezzlement Probe

The investigation into the alleged embezzlement of public funds at the Immigration Department remains active, but the man police are seeking has still not been located.  Former immigration cashier Jason Flowers is wanted in connection with allegations that he manipulated the department’s electronic payment system to reverse more than eight hundred official receipts. Investigators believe the corresponding cash was retained instead of being returned to customers as legitimate refunds.  Minister of Immigration Kareem Musa says Flowers remains on the run, despite efforts by law-enforcement authorities to locate him.

Kareem Musa, Minister of Immigration: “The investigation has completed at least the initial phase of it from an internal standpoint meaning the Ministry of Immigration or Finance Officer has given a statement to police and that is what prompted police to issue the warning poster for Mr. Flowers. We have information that he is currently in the United States of America. He has been dismissed from his work as an immigration cashier so he’s no longer in the employment of the Government of Belize. We have enough information to charge him based on some of the invoices, some of the cancelled reverse invoices but in terms of the entire scope of the scheme that was he was operating we have requested the Auditor General’s Ministry to come in and do a proper audit. We want to get it right out of the gate and so that will give you the full scope of it. I can confirm also that the Auditor General’s Department is already at the Ministry carrying out the investigation. So at the conclusion of that we will have every single invoice that was reversed by him and/or others taking part in this scheme and then we’ll be able to levy all the charges at that point.”

Flowers has reportedly been placed on an Interpol watch list, as investigators believe he may have left Belize and travelled to the United States. He has since been dismissed from his position in the public service.  A preliminary review reportedly identified at least fifteen thousand dollars in missing funds. However, earlier estimates suggested that the total loss could reach several hundred thousand dollars. The final amount has not been confirmed, as the authorities continue to examine the transactions and await the outcome of a forensic audit.  The case raised concerns over internal controls at the Immigration Department, including how hundreds of payment reversals were allegedly processed without being detected sooner. The Government has indicated that administrative and investigative measures are being pursued, but no definitive timeline has been provided for the completion of the audit.