The probe into the alleged issuance of a fraudulent Antigua and Barbuda passport to a Syrian national is picking up pace, and local authorities are said to be getting international assistance.
This is according to a police source, who also confirmed that the local businessman who was picked up last Friday, was questioned and released on Monday, pending further investigations.
The matter relates to a Syrian national who obtained an Antigua and Barbuda passport several months ago, and the documents used to obtain it, were allegedly stolen from the authorities in Antigua.
Reportedly, one of the documents is a certificate of registration, and the Syrian national allegedly paid someone in Antigua US $95,000 to get the document.
None of the Citizenship by Investment options in Antigua and Barbuda are worth such a low value, and there are also processing fees attached.
The matter came to light when the Syrian man, who thought he had obtained the citizenship under the CIP, sought to get his wife included for citizenship, only to learn he was not a recipient.