Ce’Cile Lashes ‘Choppa’ Culture After Usain Bolt Lost US$12 Million In SSL Fraud
Bad Gyal Ce’Cile is bashing those who promote scamming after retired sprinter Usain Bolt was defrauded of almost J$2 billion (US$12 million) by employees at Stocks and Securities Limited (SSL).
“I hope .. people that have benefitted from scamming.. and promote scamming and say nothing wrong with choppa lifestyle ..now understand what it is like..To be fleeced out of your hard-earned money. We MUST DO BETTER,” she tweeted on Tuesday evening (January 17).
i hope .. people that have benefitted from scamming.. and promote scamming and say nothing wrong with choppa lifestyle ..now understand what it is like..To be fleeced out of your hard earned money. We MUST DO BETTER.
— Ce'Cile (@IAMTHECECILE) January 17, 2023
In a subsequent tweet, the Changes singer said fraudsters are all the same, regardless of social class.
“Uptown and downtown choppa is the same choppa. You shouldn’t be allowed to steal people’s hard earned money,” she said.
Uptown and downtown choppa is the same choppa. You shouldn't be allowed to steal people's hard earned money.
— Ce'Cile (@IAMTHECECILE) January 17, 2023
The news about Bolt’s dilemma broke only a few days ago, but has left the country in a tailspin.
In an official letter to the manager at SSL, Bolt’s legal team Frater, Ennis & Gordon gave the institution an ultimatum to repay the monies by January 27, 2023.
It states that as of October 31, 2022, the total amount in the retired sprinter’s account stood at US$ 12,758,181.74. However, that amount was reduced to US$12,047.65.
The team threatened that a legal battle will ensue if the ultimatum isn’t respected: “…failing which we will take all legal actions against you and your Directors which will include Civil and Criminal procedures.”
“We hope and trust that it will not become necessary for us to proceed as stated herein and we now look forward to hearing from you before the 27th of January, 2023,” the letter stated in part.
In July last year, Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Paula Llewellyn had raised concerns about Jamaican Trap artists glorifying scamming in their songs, during her keynote address at an anti-fraud seminar in Kingston.
The DPP had made it clear that the lyrics which give pride of place to the criminal schemes, had not escaped her attention, especially since they were influencing many young people to take on the self-destructive ‘choppa’ lifestyle.
The Jamaican Trap subgenre, which is rooted in US Trap and UK Drill, has been overwhelmingly flooded with choppa songs.
Llewellyn had also expressed concern that not only were many Jamaican youth shunning legitimate employment for lotto scamming, but that women and entire households were getting involved in the illicit activity.
In using the parish of Westmoreland as an example, Llewellyn had said that of the 110 new matters listed for the Easter Sitting of the Circuit Court there back then, approximately 80 (73%) were for charges of possession of identity information used in scamming.
Meanwhile, Bolt made a second tweet this afternoon, seemingly hinting that he is trying his best to cope.
“A time to keep ……. and a time to speak; A time of war, and a time of …..”
A time to keep ……. and a time to speak; A time of war, and a time of …..
— Usain St. Leo Bolt (@usainbolt) January 18, 2023
The Clockwork producer also tweeted a photo of himself in his younger days as an athlete with the Jamaica geotag.
— Usain St. Leo Bolt (@usainbolt) January 18, 2023