Olympic multi-gold medalist Usain Bolt lost more than $12 million in his savings account from a scam operation—and hopes to see it returned.
Key Details
- Bolt’s lawyer announced that the Jamaican Olympic gold medalist only has around $12,000 left in his account through Kingston-based investment firm Stocks and Securities Ltd.
- The account contained Bolt’s retirement and life savings and was missing around $12 million.
- Jamaica’s Financial Services Commission established a temporary manager at Stocks and Securities to monitor the firm after allegations of fraud.
- “It’s distressful news for anyone, and certainly in the case of Mr. Bolt, who established this account as part of his private pension,” Bolt’s lawyer Linton Gordon says.
- Jamaican regulators have not yet communicated with Bolt, according to his lawyer. If the funds are not returned within a week, Gordon says the issue will be taken to the Supreme Court in Kingston, Bloomberg reports.
Why it’s news
Investment scams are a real concern. Protecting your wealth means finding a reputable investment firm or bank, which has a proven record and trusted policies in place for securing an individual’s assets.
Bolt’s legal team doesn’t know what happened to the money at the moment, but they’re waiting to find out.
After noticing the discrepancy in the savings account, Bolt’s lawyers contacted the bank asking for an explanation. “If this is correct, and we are hoping it is not, then a serious act of fraud, larceny, or a combination of both have been committed against our client,” Bolt’s attorneys wrote.
As recently as 2018, Bolt was on Forbes’ list of highest-paid athletes. He made number 45 on the list at the time, earning a $1 million salary and nearly $30 million in paid endorsements.
Bolt is known for his record-breaking sprints in the 200 and 100-meter races. He has won eight medals in these events at the Olympic games in Beijing, London, and Rio de Janeiro. After winning at three different Olympic games, Bolt became the first man to win a “triple triple”—three consecutive wins at the games.