Multiple Criminal Charges Laid Against Three as the Multibillion-Dollar SSL Fraud Case Deepens

Jamaica’s financial landscape has been thrust back into the spotlight after authorities laid multiple criminal charges against Hugh Croskery, founding director of the collapsed Stocks & Securities Limited (SSL), his daughter Sarah Meany, and former CEO Zachary Harding. The charges, which span several major financial laws, stem from what investigators allege was a multibillion-dollar fraud that ultimately led to SSL’s dramatic collapse, shaking investor confidence both locally and across the Caribbean.

According to law enforcement sources, the trio faces more than a dozen charges, including fraudulently inducing persons to invest, operating a securities business without the required licences, and failing to properly register with Jamaica’s Financial Services Commission. The alleged breaches fall under the Securities Act, Bank of Jamaica Act, Banking Services Act and the Larceny Act, highlighting the scale and seriousness of the accusations. Meanwhile, Croskery has been granted bail in the sum of J$1 million, ordered to surrender his travel documents, and is scheduled to make his first court appearance on January 26, officially moving the matter into the judicial phase.

In response, Croskery’s legal team has pushed back strongly against the allegations. King’s Counsel Peter Champagnie, who represents the SSL founder alongside attorney-at-law Samoi Campbell, stressed that his client maintains his innocence and has consistently cooperated with authorities. Champagnie cautioned the public against rushing to judgement, urging that the case be allowed to unfold in court rather than being shaped by speculation or emotion.

Meany and Harding have also been granted bail, though details surrounding their conditions have not been disclosed. As the case progresses, the SSL saga is poised to remain a major talking point in Jamaica’s legal and financial circles, with the upcoming court proceedings expected to shed further light on one of the country’s most high-profile financial collapses in recent history.

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