Alex Tasker released from police custody

Alex Tasker has been released from police custody, a day after the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) cleared the way for his extradition to the United States to face money laundering charges.

Police confirmed this morning that while the former senior vice president at the Insurance Corporation of Barbados (ICBL) was arrested yesterday morning, the day after the CCJ dismissed his application for leave to challenge his extradition, he was subsequently released.

They explained in a statement that Tasker’s lawyers made a subsequent “urgent request” to the Trinidad-based court “to hear further interventions”.

“That was agreed to and, as a result, all previous legal rulings were stayed pending the outcome of this latest urgent application,” police said. “As a direct result, Mr Tasker was released from police custody last night.”

Tasker is represented by attorneys-at-law Douglas L Mendes, SC, with Andrew Pilgrim, KC, and Clay Hackett.

US prosecutors allege that between August 2015 and April 2016, Tasker conspired with others to launder money in the US from outside the country in violation of US law.