SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - The Court of First Instance has rendered its judgment in the criminal cases against M.R. and J.E.B., the remaining defendants in the “Jasmine” investigation. Both defendants were convicted of co-perpetrating fraud and money laundering. M.R. was also convicted of abuse of office.
M.R., a civil servant, was sentenced to 16 months’ imprisonment, six months of which were suspended, subject to a probationary period of two years. She was also disqualified from serving as a civil servant for five years.
J.E.B. was sentenced to 240 hours of community service and a six-month suspended prison sentence, subject to a probationary period of two years.
The Court imposed lower sentences than those requested by the Prosecutor’s Office, partly because the proceedings exceeded the reasonable-time requirement.
The cases concerned irregularities in the tendering and execution of several government projects following Hurricane Irma. At the time, M.R. served as Chief of Cabinet at the Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (VROMI). She also held a 50 per cent interest in the company to which the projects were awarded. J.E.B. held the remaining interest in the company.
The projects concerned the Prins Bernhard Bridge, repairs to roadside barriers and railings, a basketball court and emergency repairs to Keys Bridge in Sucker Garden.
The Court found that the defendants, together with others, created a false representation of competitive procurement procedures. This included the use of falsified quotations to create the appearance that multiple companies had submitted bids. The projects were subsequently awarded to the company jointly owned by M.R. and J.E.B.
The cases against M.R. and J.E.B. formed part of the wider “Jasmine” investigation into irregularities involving permit issuance and public procurement. On March 26, 2026, the Court rendered judgments against three other defendants in the investigation.
The “Jasmine” investigation was conducted by the National Detectives Sint Maarten (LrSXM) and the Kingdom Cooperation Team (RST), under the direction of the Prosecutor’s Office.
