Tasker’s extradition upheld but put on hold pending further appeal

Former insurance executive Alex Tasker’s extradition to the United States to face money laundering charges has been upheld by the Court of Appeal but put on hold to allow him to mount a further challenge at the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).

US authorities are seeking Tasker’s extradition to face one count of conspiracy to launder money and two counts of money laundering arising from an alleged bribery scheme involving former Barbados government minister Donville Inniss.

Prosecutors allege that Tasker, a former senior vice-president of the Insurance Corporation of Barbados Ltd (ICBL), and former chief executive Ingrid Innes arranged about US$36 000 in payments to Inniss in exchange for his help securing the renewal of government insurance contracts. The payments were allegedly disguised as consulting fees and routed through a US company’s bank account.