TUV leader Jim Allister has today written to the Chief Executive of the Financial Supervision Commission of the Isle of Man, John Aspden, in the following terms:
Dear Mr Aspden,
Re £7 million transferred to Isle of Man account
I write following allegations surrounding £7 million transferred to an Isle of Man account after the £1.3 billion sale of NAMA assets in Northern Ireland to US investment company Cerberus.
Allegations about the matter were made by an independent member of the Irish parliament last week.
Tughans, a firm of Belfast solicitors, has since confirmed that its former managing partner Ian Coulter had moved the money. It is believed this was to an account in the Isle of Man. Tughans say that the money was “diverted” into the account without the knowledge of other staff.
Given the Financial Supervision Commission’s regulatory objectives to reduce financial crime and regulate and supervise people undertaking regulated activities – including deposit-taking and money transmission services – in or from the Isle of Man I write to inquire (a) have you already received any complaint about the money “diverted” from Tughans; (b) if so when and (c) what is the current status of your investigation and what actions have you taken.
If you have not already initiated an investigation I request that you do.
Yours sincerely,
Jim Allister MLA