Watson’s jail time cut by year, conviction stands

| 12/11/2024 | 19 Comments
Cayman News Service
Canover Watson exits the courthouse (file photo)

(CNS): Canover Watson will be serving twelve months less in jail than expected after the Cayman Islands Court of Appeal cut his eight-year term to seven last week in relation to his conviction in a $1.5 million CONCACAF fraud. However, his appeal against conviction was rejected. CICA President Sir John Golding said Watson’s convictions for fraud and money laundering while he was an executive at the Cayman Islands Football Association were safe.

“The case against Canover Watson was a strong one,” according to the judgment. “He has sought to advance many disparate grounds of appeal against conviction, none of which in our judgment renders the convictions unsafe or unsatisfactory.”

Watson had argued through his lawyers that his conviction was directly connected to and influenced by the government’s goal to get the Cayman Islands removed from the Financial Action Task Force’s grey list.

Watson’s legal team had argued that it was “politically helpful and expedient”, and both the junior prosecutor in the case and the Anti-Corruption Commission investigator were conflicted because they were also involved in the campaign to remove this jurisdiction from that list.

However, the appeal court was not convinced.

Meanwhile, his colleague Bruce Blake, who was convicted of two charges of false accounting for helping Watson, also lost his appeal for conviction. Blake, a former attorney, was handed a two-year term last year but has since been released from prison. The appeal court stated that “having sought to stand back and consider the case against Bruce Blake”, his convictions were also safe.


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Category: Courts, Crime

Comments (19)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    and no blame ever goes to the cabal of people who benefited on these deals. Go back and reach the articles on who was in Switzerland when Jeff was arrested. Canover isn’t even a middle-sized fish in all this.

  2. Anonymous says:

    who can someone receive a 2 year sentence last year but, already be released!

    Did i read that BS correctly?

    CNS NOTE: As this comes up a lot its probably worth explaining again. Every prisoner under the law is entitled to be considered for release from jail after serving 66% of their sentence on the basis of good behaviour unless they have been given a life tariff. The parole board may retain an inmate however if they have not followed the rules or conducted themselves badly. The idea of early release is not novel and happens in most countries as it serves for better prison management and gives inmates a reason to be well-behaved and utilize their time properly so they can leave – generally the carrot usually works far better than the stick.

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  3. Anonymous says:

    Now will our esteemed chief justice turn her mind to forfeiture of Watson’s assets?

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  4. J says:

    It is elementary, my dear Watson, that your ginalsleezian, conniving and bandulu business self should remain behind bars for the entirety of your sentence and for the well being of Cayman, and that it would and will not be a tragedy if you are permanently shunned from these borders upon the hour of your eventual release.

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  5. Cifa still suffering the loss ! says:

    Yet only the 2 scape goats ended up in prison but all others living the life like Nesbeth says look at me now ! Ex govt & political leaders and prosperity experts and spiritual advisors of none less than our great DG .Those that damaged our youth football opportunities are worst the criminals who sell them drugs .

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  6. Anonymous says:

    When he gets out he’ll probably go into politics!

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  7. Anonymous says:

    And all this time, the real big fish (Jeff Webb) continues to dodge his sentencing .. what’s it been 5 years.. 7 years? SMH

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  8. Anonymous says:

    Don’t any of these appeals court judge know how to add time?

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  9. Anonymous says:

    Bring our hero home!

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  10. Anonymous says:

    Canover Watson, the turd that almost won’t flush. Please, can we not hear any more about this guy for a few years now?

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    • Anonymous says:

      This particular POS used his “poor disadvantaged boy made good “ image to deceive and steal when given a leg up . He is of the demographic that considers kindness to be a weakness in those that extended the helping hand, and chose to
      exploit that..
      Deport him to his homeland , fed up with paying for these people’s food and board.

  11. Anonymous says:

    this system is a complete joke

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  12. Anonymous says:

    Throw away the key.

    Ps. Brucey been out long time.

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  13. Anonymous says:

    Needs his status revoked and then deported!

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