Former Chief Executive Officer of the Financial Services Regulatory Commission (FSRC) Leroy King was laid to rest on Thursday at the Bible Speaks Seventh-day Adventist Church. He died in early November at the age of 80 while in US custody, though the circumstances of his death have not been publicly clarified.
Prime Minister Gaston Browne and several cabinet ministers, including Health Minister Molwyn Joseph, Foreign Affairs Minister Chet Greene, Information Minister Melford Nicholas and Tourism Minister Charles Fernandez, attended the service, which was streamed online.
Nicholas paid tribute to King’s organisational abilities and his influence in the St John’s City East constituency. He described him as meticulous and said his guidance played a significant role in the Antigua Labour Party’s resurgence.
Greene highlighted King’s early life in St John’s, his studies at Iona College in New York, and his career in banking and public service. He noted King’s role in key national projects and his active involvement in the Adventist church following his baptism in 2012.
King’s career, however, was overshadowed by his conviction in the United States for obstructing a major investigation into Allen Stanford’s $7bn investment fraud. As head of the FSRC, he admitted to helping shield Stanford International Bank from scrutiny and accepting bribes in return. He was extradited in 2019 after years of resisting US requests and became the final defendant to face sentencing in the case.
Stanford was imprisoned in 2012 for running a global Ponzi scheme, and several associates also received lengthy sentences.
