He is the most senior public officer ever convicted of corruption - but the former Deputy Director of the Belize Tax Services, Reynaldo Verde, is back home in Belize tonight, a free man, after serving 3 and half years in jail in the US.
Wn September of 2019, Verde was arrested after disembarking a flight from Brussels, Belgium, on his way back to Belize after attending a conference in an official capacity.
But, he never left Miami because the FBI intercepted him there and charged him for attempted interference with commerce by extortion. This is after he was accused of attempting to extort $1 million dollars from Chris Williams, an American developer developing a real estate project in northern Belize.
Verde took a plea bargain and cooperated with authorities - and the 56 year old was deported from South Florida today. His attorney Mike Peyrefitte was there to greet him and to escort him to the Queen Street police station for a briefing. He spoke to the press afterwards:
Michael Peyrefitte, Attorney - Reynaldo Verde
"He served his time and he came back to Belize today so he is once again a free man"
Jules Vasquez:
"People who are deported have to check in with the police etc.."
Michael Peyrefitte, Attorney - Reynaldo Verde
"Well it's standard standard procedure under the law that, um, you know, you go through these interviews with the police department as a courtesy mostly but there is a deportation act and so, um, that is what we had to do today and he's fine he is home with his family."
Jules Vasquez:
"So was he officially "dipped", deported?"
Michael Peyrefitte, Attorney - Reynaldo Verde
"Well I mean¦ What is officially dipped?" [laughs]
Jules Vasquez:
"You you were put on a plain with the US Marshall and sent to Belize"
Michael Peyrefitte, Attorney - Reynaldo Verde
"Well you don't have to be on the plain with the Marshalls to be deported but but yes yes he was deported. I was here to make sure that his rights were respected once he landed in Belize as a Belizean citizen. The details of the case itself in the US I am not aware of those."
Jules Vasquez:
"So he's been incarcerated there for 4 years am you know he's one of the most senior public officers to ever face such an outcome. What's Mr Verde's State of mind."
Michael Peyrefitte, Attorney - Reynaldo Verde
"Well I don't know that would be a question for him but from what I observed he's glad to be home."
While he was incarcerated, Verde applied for and received early retirement. He has not been accused of any wrongdoing in Belize - though the extortion he was convicted of in the U.S. happened in Belize.
