Just being an associate of Jeffery Webb is now raising eyebrows and questions being asked.

In some quarters you are guilty by association.

The world’s press is here digging and delving and of course our local media has been doing the same.

If a known associate of Webb even has a home near him the question of guilt by association is raised.

A house owned by Webb in Adel Drive, Loganville, Georgia, and the subject of an investigation over a swimming pool, is three houses away from Canover Watson!

Canover Watson, a close friend of Webb, is under investigation here in the Cayman Islands over the government hospital CarePay swipe card system and money laundering charges that have nothing to do with the Webb investigations.

But …. Watson has a house close to Webb.

Aha!!

Guilty by association?

I have been asked by two journalists about my association with another man arrested along with Webb and an ex resident here – Costas Takaas.

I directed him, once I said, in a play for the Cayman Drama Society at The Prospect Playhouse, ‘Fawlty Towers’. No, I was told, you also directed him in “Alice Queen of Wonderland” at The Harquail when he played The March Hare! Blimey I thought. I had forgotten that.

Guilty by association.

I was quick to point out I had no knowledge of his business interests.

Hallo? Didn’t your wife work in the same office as him when she was a Trust/Corporate Officer? Yes.

Aha. – The plot thickens.

When Webb and Takaas were arrested in Zurich a former Minister of Sports, Mark Scotland and friend of Webb, was also there, along with former tourism minister Cline Glidden, now working for CONCACAF to set up a regional football dispute resolution court. Glidden is a friend and associate of Webb. Worse still, the newly appointed President of the Cayman Islands Football Association (CIFA) local attorney, Bruce Blake was there.

Oh my God!!

If that isn’t bad well …

Three bribe payments are alleged to have been passed through accounts controlled by Takaas at the Cayman Islands Fidelity Bank. Jeff Webb used to work there (for 22 years). Anwer Sunderji, chairman and chief executive of Fidelity Group, was a member of CONCACAF’s finance committee. Webb had invited him to join the happy party.

Holy Moses!!!

The Cayman Islands Monetary Authority (CIMA) issued a statement, albeit five days after all this, (even longer than a local cheque takes to clear) that they were “aware of the allegations which have been made by Swiss and U.S. federal authorities regarding a number of officials of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) and a bank regulated by the Authority.”

Are they still using pigeon post?

Reassuringly they said they were taking the “matters very seriously and in respect of the allegations relating to one of our licensees, we will act appropriately, dispassionately and in accordance with our obligations under the law.”

We all breathe more easily now.

Or do we?

CIMA Managing Director Cindy Scotland is married to Mark Scotland.

Mark Scotland. Didn’t I just mention him? Yes. And in 2014 he began working for his friend Webb as youth development director for the CIFA.

Is this a spider’s web Webb has built around him?

Although written slightly ‘tongue in cheek’ it would seem to me to stop the ‘guilt by association’ everyone connected with Webb involved in banking and football should excuse themselves immediately.

As for me? I stopped directing for the Cayman Drama Society many years ago.

I am definitely ‘Not Guilty’ by association.