Old Bahama Bay, Grand Bahamas
Victims email to U.S. Emabassy Nassau, Bahamas
June 19, 2015
Ms. Lisa A. Johnson,
Chargé d’Affaires of the United States Embassy,
US Embassy, Queen Street, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas
Dear Ms. Johnson:
We are a group of nine property owners seeking your assistance in resolving an issue concerning the stamp duty which was unpaid by the Bahamian attorney for the owners on acquisitions of properties at Old Bahama Bay, West End, Grand Bahama. The names of the property owners are listed on the attached Schedule and they are all US citizens.
The nine groups of owners all instructed attorney Pleasant Bridgewater, doing business as Bridgewater & Co., at various times between early 2003 and mid 2007 to act for them in their purchase of properties at Old Bahama Bay. At the closing of the various purchases, substantial sums were paid to Bridgewater & Co. for the purpose of enabling that firm to pay the stamp duty to the Public Treasury of The Bahamas on the Conveyances of the properties.
Bridgewater & Co. failed to utilize the funds she had received in paying the stamp duty to the Public Treasury and all subsequent demands by the property owners for payment or the return of the stamp duty monies have been unsuccessful. Since the stamp duty has not been paid, the Conveyances have not been able to be lodged for recording in the Registry of Records, thereby jeopardizing the owners’ priority of title to the properties.
Substantial efforts have been made by the owners to recover the stamp duty monies from Pleasant Bridgewater., but to no avail. These efforts have included the following:
1. Supreme Court proceedings were brought by the property owners against Pleasant Bridgewater under Action No. 2012/CLE/gen/FP/00022 resulting in judgment being obtained in favour of the property owners on 24th July, 2012 for the sum of $421,484.00 plus interest. Subsequent steps in the action have failed to disclose any assets belonging to Pleasant Bridgewater against which the judgment debt could be enforced.
2. The matter was reported to the police by a number of owners, but no charges have been brought by the police against Ms Bridgewater.
3. Complaints were made by the property owners to the Bahamas Bar Association in January 2012, and the matters were duly referred to be heard before the Bahamas Bar Disciplinary Tribunal. The Tribunal held numerous hearings of the complaints in 2013 and 2014. However in November 2014, the Chairman of the Tribunal, Senior Justice Isaacs, was appointed as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. That appointment resulted in Senior Justice Isaacs’ withdrawal from the Tribunal, and the Bahamas Bar Association to date has failed to appoint a new Chairman for the continued hearing of the Complaints.
In the above circumstances, the property owners consider that they have taken all reasonable steps which have been open to them to resolve the injustices that have been done to them, but with no resolution of the matters to date. The property owners further consider that the systems in place within The Bahamas for resolution of matters such as these have further failed to protect their interests.
Accordingly, the property owners now seek your assistance on their behalves as US citizens in rectifying the current untenable situation. The position in which the owners now find themselves could potentially similarly happen to any other US citizen investing in The Bahamas, and accordingly it is felt that this is a matter of national importance which ought to be addressed at the level of the United States and Bahamian governments. The property owners accordingly request that you liaise with the Bahamas Government to secure the waiver of the unpaid stamp duty on the Conveyances of the properties. If the property owners were now required to again pay the stamp duty on the Conveyances, the total amount now due (together with penalties and recording fees) is $329,040, as shown on the attached Schedule.
The owners are available and willing to assist in providing such further information as you may require to resolve this matter on their behalves as US citizens.
Yours Sincerely,
Victims of Attorney fraud at Old Bahamas Bay , ( over 20 members of investors ) Old Bahama Bay Grand Bahamas
Corrupted Attorney!!!
Pleasant M. Bridgewater
Bridgewater & Co. failed to utilize the funds she had received in paying the stamp duty to the Public Treasury, jeopardizing the Old Bahamas Bay Condo owners’ priority of title to the properties.
Also, she attempted a $25M extortion relating to John Travolta son's death. All that while she was Attorney, a Senator and Member of The House of Assembly Bahamas
Bridgewater & Co.
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