2 former reporters in custody for attempting to extort $1M from businessman

Two former reporters of Kaieteur News are in Police custody for allegedly attempting to extort $1 million from a city businessman.

According to the Police, the businessman made a report alleging that Guyana News Network (GNN), which is known for slanderous reporting, made a post about him.

In the post made by GNN, it alleged that the businessman was “defrauding the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) billions in revenue through the re-migrant and CARICOM duty free schemes.“

In a statement to the Police, the businessman denied the allegations, noting that it has tarnished his reputation.

He further told investigators that he was contacted by Alex Wayne and Kaieteur News reporter Gary Eleazar, who are closely associated with a businessman with whom he has a dispute.

He said that the duo told him that the rival businessman told them to publish the article, and to have it removed, he must pay $90 million.

As a result, the Police conducted a sting operation on Friday on the East Coast of Demerara and provided the businessman with the marked cash.

The two former reporters arrived at the location, conversed with the businessman, and demanded $1 million to remove the post from the GNN Facebook page.

The two were subsequently intercepted, and the cash was found divided among them. Moreover, a search of Eleazar’s home unearthed two cellular phones and a laptop.

Wayne admitted that he acted in concert with the rival businessman and Eleazar to create and publish the post on the GNN’s Facebook page. Head of the Police’s Communications Unit, Mark Ramotar, has confirmed that the duo is in custody.