How does it feel to be defeated by cheating after dominating a sport for years? How does it feel to receive no help from a country once celebrated because of you? Well, if you want to know, just ask Usain Bolt. The eight-time Olympic champion is living through that exact nightmare right now, and it all traces back to a case of massive fraud. Last year, the track and field world was left shell-shocked by the news. In January, reports broke that Bolt had lost a whopping $12 million from his account with Kingston-based investment firm Stock and Securities Limited (SSL). Only $12,000 remained. But, according to Bolt’s lawyer, Linton P. Gordon, the sprinter had been banking with SSL since 2012, with millions safely deposited—until, suddenly, it wasn’t.

That’s when the fraud was uncovered, and Jamaica’s Financial Services Commission swooped in, appointing their own manager to temporarily take control of SSL. Finance Minister Nigel Clarke even reassured the public, saying, “There is no need to panic.” So naturally, people hoped the situation would get sorted out with some high-level investigation. There was even talk of the FBI getting involved. Sounds promising, right? Well, not so much.

Now, a year and a half later, people are still waiting. Rather, by the end of this month, Clark is about to leave his ministerial post to join a senior position at the International Monetary Fund. As per Bolt’s lawyer, the party has received no necessary information on the turns of the investigation from the ministry. At the start, the authorities announced that it would include the FBI and other notable investigative wings to catch the perpetrators. But as of now only one individual is charged in the matter, who is a client relationship manager at SSL, and Bolt’s holding company, Welljen, has filed a lawsuit against the person and SSL. That’s it. This has left those affected feeling like there’s been zero advancement in the case so far.

For Usain Bolt, it is a double whammy. That $12 million was meant to be his safety net after retiring from the sport. The frustration is real, and he made that crystal clear with a cryptic post on X, saying, “Heart broken so many words unspoken.” Fans are already reading between the lines, and it’s clear he’s hurting big time.

Meanwhile, Gordon, Usain Bolt’s lawyer, has informed that the court ordered a stay on all action pending the investigation. The judging body is now waiting to get a report from Caydion Campbell, an SSL trustee, to take a decision on the issue. According to Gordon, his party still has one relevant question: “Who took the money?” 

Since January 2023, this pertinent question has been taking rounds. However, the allegation is on the authorities for not taking any resolute action to address the issue. Initially, the financial head had promised to dig deep, calling it a critical problem, but those promises feel more like empty words at this point. Discrepancies are still glaring, and Usain Bolt has made sure to highlight them again and again through his posts. You can feel his frustration oozing through on social media, and it’s clear he’s not going to let this one slide.

Usain Bolt’s cryptic posts keep coming 

In the last 48 hours, Usain Bolt has made four cryptic posts on the issue, delivering the same mindset. He even pointed out, “An we BANK on them to tell us? Or we not in the circle?” Remember, the Olympian is not the only hampered individual in this issue. Per Jamaica-gleaner. com, the number has touched the ceiling. Now, it stands at more than $30 million. The number of accounts has gone past 200. So, from that perspective, it should be counted as a national issue.

Initially, Nigel P Clarke noted the issue by claiming, “The anger and unease we all feel have been magnified by the long duration—13 years–over which the fraud was allegedly perpetrated, and the fact that the (suspects) seemed to have deliberately and heartlessly targeted elderly persons.”

But Bolt isn’t pulling any punches with his posts. He bluntly pointed out that everything seems off balance, sharpening his critique of the authorities: “Them know the price of everything but value of nothing.” Ouch! It’s clear he’s not about to sit back and let this slide without raising his voice. Unfortunately, relief still feels miles away for him and other victims.

In the meantime, SSL has hinted that it might explore options to pay its clients, including Bolt, potentially through selling off its portfolio. However, it might be a lengthy and complicated process. So, for now, Bolt and others are left hanging, hoping for some resolution to this financial nightmare. Will the authorities deliver answers, or will this saga drag on even longer? Only time will tell!