Full Text |Former SSL CEO Zachary Harding declares innocence, denies wrongdoing following charges

Businessman and former Chief Executive Officer of the failed investment firm Stocks & Securities Limited (SSL), Zachary Harding, is declaring his innocence following his arrest and charge by investigators probing the alleged multibillion-dollar fraud at the company.

Harding, SSL founding director Hugh Croskery, and Croskery’s daughter, Sarah Meany, were on Saturday arrested and charged with breaching key laws governing the financial sector, the Financial Investigations Division reported.

They have each been charged with fraudulently inducing persons to invest; failure to register a company carrying on business in Jamaica; carrying on a securities business without a dealer’s licence; failure to apply to the Financial Services Commission to be registered for securities issued; and breaches of the Banking Services Act.

In a statement issued Monday night through his attorney, Jacqueline Samuels-Brown, Harding said that based on the questioning and information provided by investigators, there was no allegation that he was the beneficiary of, or involved in any way in, the misappropriation of funds or theft of money from Usain Bolt’s account or those of any other SSL clients.

Harding further stated that while at SSL, he acted above board.

“Official records from the Financial Services Commission (FSC) and the Bank of Jamaica (BOJ) will confirm that during his tenure, Mr Harding prioritised legal and regulatory compliance. He maintained open communication with regulators, adhered to their directives, and acted under the guidance of reputable legal counsel and independent external auditors.

“He proactively engaged the FSC, implemented clear corrective plans, and worked under their ongoing oversight to address longstanding issues that existed before Mr Harding’s involvement with SSL.”

Harding rejected claims linking him to any wrongdoing and urged the public to refrain from spreading falsehoods and misinformation.

Full Statement

On the afternoon of December 27, 2025, Mr. Zachary Harding voluntarily attended the offices of the Financial Investigations Division (FID), accompanied by his attorney-at-law, Jacqueline Samuels-Brown, KC. Since the issues at Stocks & Securities Limited (SSL) first came to light in 2023, Mr. Harding communicated with the police through his attorney, assuring them of his availability and willingness to assist with any investigations. His attendance at the FID was in keeping with that position, as he has always acted in compliance with the law and with the highest level of integrity.

Despite certain media reports, Mr. Harding was not arrested in any "pre-dawn raid." The proceedings and question and answer session mark the first time in three years that Mr. Harding has been interviewed by any investigative body.

In light of recent developments, we wish to clarify the following critical points:

Based on the questioning and information provided by investigators, there was no allegation that Mr. Harding was the beneficiary of, or involved in any way with any misappropriation of funds or theft of money from Usain Bolt's account or that of any other SSL clients' accounts.

Official records from the Financial Services Commission (FSC) and the Bank of Jamaica (BOJ) will confirm that during his tenure, Mr. Harding prioritized legal and regulatory compliance. He maintained open communication with regulators, adhered to their directives, and acted under the guidance of reputable legal counsel and independent external auditors. He proactively engaged the FSC, implemented clear corrective plans, and worked under their ongoing oversight to address long-standing issues that existed before Mr. Harding’s involvement with SSL. As these matters are now before the court, we will not comment further on any specific evidentiary details and await the dispensation of justice through the courts.

In the interim, we strongly caution against the continuation of spreading misinformation. This in no way helps in achieving fair resolution and justice.

We urge all parties to allow the justice system to function based on facts, rather than unverified assertions and assumptions.

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