Financial Services Firm Held Hurricane Relief Donations Due to Suspicious Activity

LASCO Financial Services revealed it held 30 per cent of donations made through the Government’s Hurricane Melissa relief platform because its system flagged suspicious transactions linked to the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management. The disclosure came after the Auditor General’s Department found that 30 per cent of online donations were retained for up to 45 days without a formal agreement. The audit found that $15.7 million and US$298,429 in donations were withheld between October 28 and December 31, 2025.

The event sheds light on financial mismanagement within government relief funds, as LASCO Financial Services initially told auditors on March 9 that none of the withheld funds had been transferred. ODPEM later provided a receipt showing $16.1 million and US$305,292 had been sent on March 9, though the auditor general could not verify the transfer.