Barbara Gayle, Staff Reporter

Kingston businessman Patrick Chang, otherwise called 'Three Hand Chang', whose illegal gaming business made $278 million over an eight-month period, has pleaded guilty to breaches of the Money Laundering and the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries acts.

Chang's co-accused, John Zaidie, Junior Lyn, Omar Nehroo and Haneif Nehroo, pleaded guilty to the lesser offences of possession of drop pan tickets and unlawful gaming.

Resident Magistrate Georgiana Fraser has put off sentencing until October 16 in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court.

Chang was charged in 2003 following a raid at his home at 5 Lyndhurst Crescent, Kingston 5, by members of the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Commission, the Financial Investigations Division (FID) and the Jamaica Defence Force. During the search operation, several items were seized, including adding machines, pre-printed drop pan ticket books, sales sheets, photocopy machines and in excess of J$1.2 million in cash.

'Drop pan' mastermind

Following an extensive forensic investigation undertaken by the FID, Chang was subsequently charged with several counts of money laundering, involving property valued in excess of $22 million.

Caroline Williamson-Hay, Acting Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, and attorneys-at-law from the FID, led evidence at the trial which began in November 2005 that Chang was the mastermind of an illegal 'drop pan' game, similar to the authorised 'Cash Pot' game operated by Supreme Ventures Limited.

The game, popularly known as Chang Drop Pan, spanned the parishes of Manchester, Clarendon, St. Andrew, Kingston, St. Mary, St. Thomas and St. Catherine.

Evidence was also presented to show that Chang operated a formal system of accounts for his illegal drop pan business. The court was told that his drop pan game grossed in excess of $278 million for the period January to August 2003, and paid out $225 million in winnings.

The men pleaded guilty last week Friday following a trial which began in November 2005.

barbara.gayle@gleanerjm.com