FRIGATE BAY, St. Kitts: Roland M. Thomas, 55, a British citizen operating as the chief executive officer and principal of the Angelus Resort in Frigate Bay, St. Kitts, has been sued in a civil fraud enforcement action in Denver, Colorado by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

The April 5, 2005 Complaint in Securities and Exchange Commission v. SeaLife Corporation et al. also names ERT Technology Corporation, a Delaware corporation owned by Thomas.

Thomas, a resident of Las Vegas, Nevada, is, according to the SEC's recent Complaint, alleged to have participated in the United States in a scheme to fraudulently manipulate the price of the shares of SeaLife from December 2002 to August 2003.

This is the same time period in which Thomas, in an unrelated matter which took place in St. Kitts, and during the terminal illness of the former owner of what was once called the Paradise Beach Resort & Casino, took control of the Frigate Bay, St.Kitts, resort and changed the name to the Angelus.

Subsequent to Thomas' actions, a group of 120 US investors became entangled in a civil suit in the High Court of Justice of St. Kitts, seeking the return of millions of dollars that they claim were used to buy the land and build the resort. The Angelus has denied any knowledge of the investors' interest in the property.

The Claimants before the High Court in the St. Kitts, led by representatives Richard Rowe, a Federal Express pilot from Niceville, Florida and Mark Secrist, an American Airlines pilot from Winchester, Virginia, discovered that they were victims of an apparent investment fraud involving the Frigate Bay resort in April of 2003.

This is in the same time period when the SEC alleges that Thomas took part in a different scheme to defraud the investing public in the US by using misleading information and manipulative stock trading to create artificial market prices for SeaLife Corporation, a Nevada Corporation.

On April 8, 2005, Justice Davidson Baptiste, St. Kitts, ordered that all outstanding applications be heard by the Master in chambers on April 27, 2005. Court records show that the Angelus, their officers and two of their lawyers have been accused by the Claimants of being in contempt of Court for disobeying Justice Baptiste's February 2004 order to produce records.

Four former Angelus employees have provided ‘whistle-blower' affidavits asserting that several boxes of records were packed and shipped off-island after the court ordered the officers of the Angelus, which would include Thomas, to produce them.

In July 2004, the High Court struck out the contempt proceedings against Thomas and the other lay respondents because they were not first warned of the consequences of disobeying a court order; but the contempt proceedings remain outstanding against two of the defendants' St. Kitts lawyers, Larkland Richards and Sylvester Anthony. The Claimants' contempt application is on hold pending their appeal of the July 2004 order striking it out in respect of the lay respondents.

For more information on the SEC Complaint filed against Thomas and the ERT Technology Corporation, refer to http://www.sec.gov/litigation/litreleases/lr19171.htm. For more information about the alleged fraud against the Angelus of St. Kitts, contact international legal counsel for the Claimants, Martin S. Kenney (mkenney@mksolicitors.com)

I've already made up my mind. I'm going to the Marriott instead of the Angelus. Too many bad reviews to start, plus the place is being run by gangsters!

Reading stuff like the above article makes me sick. As someone who has been scammed before, I can feel for these investors. Hopefully Thomas and his cronies will be shown to their respective rooms in the St. Kitts Grey Bar Motel sooner rather than later!

I've just stumbled across this post! It would appear that I too have been defrauded. I purchased a time share last year at the Angelus. I have not been able to get any response from them concerning the interval exchange program they promised. I wonder what it takes to bring legal action against them. I'm sure there are many more people who were scammed by the time share sharks. I can be emailed at toddh@appylight.com.

The Angelus is a work in progress. The rooms are beautifully appointed and large. There is lots of potential at this property which has not yet been realized. They have a huge piece of beach with great views. I would not rule it out as an option when choosing a place to stay on the island. It makes for a great base of operations and you can venture out and explore!

Many people have stayed there and posted reviews at myislands.myeyez.net

If you are considering staying there or a trip to St. Kitts, you should read the reviews there under the hotel/lodging section!

Krista

With some TLC, this resort has potential.

Renovations are being planned for the hotel (landscaping, etc) and will be reading for new bookings by November.

As expected, the Government has acquired the property on which sits The Angelus.

I feel bad for people who invested in this property.

mwahahah, dats wat pirates do - take money from stupid white ppl mwahahhaha har har