UNITED STATES – A plane crash on Election Day, $30,000 in cash, and an unnamed politician now at the center of fresh bribery allegations.
U.S. prosecutors claim some of the money recovered from accused drug trafficker Jonathan Eric Gardiner may have been destined for a Bahamian member of Parliament, and now, a new court filing reveals that the politician, identified only as “Politician-1,” is a man who won re-election on May 12th.
That’s the same day Gardiner and ten others were rescued after their Grand Bahama-bound aircraft crashed off the Florida coast.
Authorities recovered $30,000 in Bahamian currency, including cash in an envelope bearing the unnamed politician’s name.
Prosecutors believe at least some of that money may have been a bribe, intended to help facilitate Gardiner’s alleged drug trafficking operations.
However, his attorneys are pushing back, arguing that only about $5000 was in the envelope, and disputing the government’s interpretation of the cash.
The filing also alleges Gardiner played a major role in an international cocaine trafficking network, with his co-accused claiming access to and protection from Bahamian politicians and government officials.
The revelations come months after the case first sent shockwaves through the country’s political landscape.
Back in June, opposition leader Michael Pintard was among those questioning the Davis Administration’s response.
The controversy also sparked calls for Finance Minister Michael Halkitis to resign, after questions surfaced about his previous association with a construction company linked to Gardiner.
However, Prime Minister Philip Davis stood firmly behind his cabinet minister, rejecting suggestions of wrongdoing.
Former Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis also weighed in, calling for corruption to be confronted.
Meanwhile, Gardiner remains in federal custody after being denied bail.
His trial on cocaine importation conspiracy and firearms charges is scheduled to begin March 1, 2027, in New York.
He denies the allegations.
