Photo: Reynaldo Verde
Former Deputy Director of Tax Services deported back to Belize after 3 years in US jail
by Kristen Ku
BELIZE CITY, Fri. Apr. 21, 2023
After serving three years in a US prison due to extortion charges, the former Deputy Director of Tax Services, Reynaldo Verde, was deported back to Belize.
Four years ago, Chris Williams, an American national and the owner of Orchid Bay in the Corozal District, accused Verde, 46 at the time, of attempting to extort $350,000 from him in return for a cover-up of the resort’s tax debt.
Verde’s high-profile image would quickly crumble, as FBI officials detained him at Washington Dulles International Airport whilst he was returning from a taxation workshop in Brussels, Belgium on September 7, 2019.
Two days later, the US government released a report which indicated that they had formally arrested Verde for “interference with commerce by means of extortion and attempted extortion.” However, although the act of extortion allegedly took place in Belize, no apparent punitive actions were taken against Verde by the then Barrow administration.
It would take the government of Belize 5 days before it broke its silence on the matter, and issued a public statement in the form of. a press release, in which the government indicated that it could not state with any certainty what steps would be taken in response to the allegations, since the information given by the FBI was limited.
“It is, therefore, not known at this time the nature of the charge or whether it is related to Mr. Verde’s employment with the Government of Belize …. As more information becomes available, Mr. Verde’s employment status with the Government of Belize will be put before the Public Services Commission in accordance with the rules and regulations for the Public Services for consideration and decision,” the statement concluded.
While Verde was in the custody of US law enforcement authorities, however, he was released from his professional duties.
It had been reported by a local news outlet that Verde had had a number of previous run-ins with the law, with the first taking place in November of 2004, when Verde found himself in an altercation inside MJ’s Nightclub in Belize City, with an individual identified as Jose Nuñez. During that argument, Verde had reportedly pulled out his licensed firearm and shot at Nuñez, hitting him in his left arm.
Verde was subsequently charged with “attempted murder, aggravated assault, use of deadly means of harm, and discharging a firearm in public.”
In 2014, Verde found himself in yet another altercation, this time with Allen Martinez of San Pedro Town. Verde once again pulled out his licensed firearm and shot at Martinez.
In connection with that incident, Verde faced a single charge of ‘Dangerous Harm’ and was briefly sent to the Belize Central Prison before being granted Supreme Court bail.
Today Verdes is once again a free man. He arrived in Belize on Thursday, April 20, and was met at the Philip Goldson International Airport by family and friends.
Attorney-at-law Michael Peyrefitte was also there to ensure that Verde’s rights as a Belizean citizen were respected.
And, although Peyrefitte claimed to know little about the details of Verde’s case, he did inform local reporters that the next step for Verde as a deportee would include regular check-ins with the Police Department in line with the Deportation Act.
Verde is said to have studied business administration and management, obtaining his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Belize in 2004 and his Master’s degree from the University of the West Indies in 2006.