The Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) has refuted allegations made by a Portuguese national, Joao Miquel Amaro Correia, claiming that the bank failed to transfer $10 million to him for a real estate development project in Liberia.
In a press release, the CBL described Correia as the victim of an “apparent grand scam” and identified several inconsistencies and falsehoods in his complaint, which was addressed to a number of government officials and civil society organizations on June 26, 2024.
According to the CBL, Correia alleged that two senior CBL officials refused to complete the transfer of the funds and engaged in actions that sabotaged the purported agreement.
However, the bank’s review of the complaint revealed that the two individuals named by Correia as secretaries to the CBL officials he claimed to have interacted with are not employed by the bank, suggesting that Correia was “apparently misled into believing that he was doing business with staff of the CBL.”
The CBL further clarified that its policy does not allow the bank to make payments based on agreements reached between private parties or businesses.
Additionally, Correia failed to name the Liberian institutions with which he allegedly reached an agreement for the real estate project, raising significant questions about the credibility of his allegations.
The press release emphasizes the CBL’s commitment to ensuring secure financial transactions as required by the laws of Liberia. The bank also strongly cautioned the public to take precaution against scams and to refrain from falsely representing themselves as doing business in the name of the CBL.
The bank’s statement serves as a reminder to the public to exercise caution when engaging in financial transactions and to verify the legitimacy of any claims or agreements before proceeding.
