He qualified for a Belizean passport but it turns out that was just one more successful con in a long string of them for James Harold, also known as James Foster, who U.S. authorities claim scammed millions out of U.S residents in 5 states. Today, 20 days after he waived his right for the extradition hearing that every Belizean is entitled to, he was taken to the state of Texas, escorted by U.S. marshals. The man who handed him over is Assistant Commissioner of Police, Eulalio Cantun, and he told us how foster duped the system to get a Belizean passport.
Jules Vasquez,
Is it indicative of weaknesses in our system that this man, at the time a fugitive working under an assumed name, was able to gain Belizean citizenship?
Eulalio Cantun, Assistant Commissioner of Police
"Well I wouldn't be able to state if that is the situation but what I can tell you is what the police investigation has revealed which is that indeed he acquired Belizean citizenship but allegedly once we discover some documents that is evidence. So at this point I can say that yes allegedly the document that was used, which is his U.S. passport, was in fact a false passport. That is allegedly what we have in terms of the documentation that was obtained or that was used to obtain Belizean nationality which as I mentioned was sometime around 2002."
Jules Vasquez,
Is there any indication as to what specifically he did? I know that he is accused of doing it in as many as 5 states but what specifically was the nature of the scam?
Eulalio Cantun,
"Well the thing is that, we from what we know, it definitely had to do with the internet and so forth transfers because money laundering these days is sophisticated in terms of the wire transfers and so forth. The movement of money usually goes through banks and usually through the internet and so forth. That is what we get."
Jules Vasquez,
Is there any indication he perpetrated any of this type of internet fraud in Belize or from Belize?
Eulalio Cantun,
"We are presently looking at it and I can tell you that I myself am presently looking at it. We have been looking at it from the initial stages of the investigation along with some law enforcement counterparts. So we are looking into it."
Jules Vasquez,
So it may have occurred?
Eulalio Cantun,
"There are the possibilities."
Foster is wanted on 30 counts of mail fraud, wire fraud, interstate transportation of securities obtained by fraud and money laundering. All told, he is accused of scamming US$3 million from investors.