Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar announced yesterday that a report has been made to the Fraud Squad to investigate Opposition MP Keith Scotland, SC, to determine if criminal charges should be laid for conspiracy to defraud, malfeasance and corruption.In a statement to Parliament yesterday, the Prime Minister outlined a timeline involving Scotland and his chambers in a legal matter concerning the recovery of nearly $2.4 million in unpaid electricity bills owed to the Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission (T&TEC) by Flavorite Foods Ltd, whose chairman was former PNM treasurer Andre Monteil.The Prime Minister alleged that Scotland and his firm falsely represented that legal action had been pursued against Flavorite when court records showed otherwise.As a result, she said, the matter became statute-barred, leading to the loss of millions of dollars owed to taxpayers.The Prime Minister said she instructed Minister of Public Utilities Barry Padarath to request that T&TEC institute legal proceedings against Scotland and his chambers for fraudulent misrepresentation, professional negligence and breach of contract.She said she had also directed that consideration be given to filing a formal complaint before the Disciplinary Committee of the Law Association for breaches of the Code of Conduct under the Legal Profession Act.Persad-Bissessar said T&TEC recently instructed attorneys to file a claim against Flavorite Foods Ltd to recover outstanding electricity arrears totalling $2,392,220.11.However, upon examination, it was discovered that the claim was statute-barred.The Prime Minister noted that the arrears accumulated over a five-year period between April 2017 and January 2022.Persad-Bissessar said T&TEC continued supplying electricity to Flavorite despite repeated non-payment and multiple breaches of agreed payment plans.According to the Prime Minister, by April 6, 2019, Flavorite owed approximately $572,000.T&TEC disconnected the company but, “miraculously”, reconnected the supply the same day despite no payment being made to clear the debt.Persad-Bissessar said between April 24, 2017, and July 23, 2019, T&TEC entered into several payment plans with Flavorite, all of which were breached.She said no action was taken against Monteil or his company despite repeated defaults.According to the Prime Minister, T&TEC finally disconnected Flavorite permanently in January 2022.At that time, she said, the company owed approximately $2.4 million and, after nine months of unfulfilled promises to pay, T&TEC instructed attorneys to initiate legal proceedings.Persad-Bissessar said in November 2022, T&TEC retained Scotland’s firm to recover the outstanding debt.She said the lawyers who were instructed in this matter were Scotland and Keisha Kydd-Hannibal of Virtus Chambers.She said Scotland filed a claim in the High Court on December 9, 2022, seeking recovery of the $2.4 million.Eleven months later, however, there had been no further update, despite repeated enquiries by T&TEC’s legal department.Persad-Bissessar said a meeting was eventually held on October 20, 2023, with Scotland’s junior attorney, Kydd-Hannibal, who indicated that Flavorite’s attorneys had sought an extension of time to file a defence.She said no explanation was provided as to why Scotland had not sought judgment in default after 11 months had elapsed, nor was the identity of Flavorite’s attorneys disclosed.The Prime Minister explained that Flavorite could only have filed a defence after entering an appearance within eight days of being served with the claim.However, she said no appearance was filed and no defence was ever submitted.She further stated that Scotland did not obtain judgment in default against Flavorite.Instead, she said, Scotland’s chambers advised that, due to delays, a decision had been taken to refile the claim.Persad-Bissessar said approximately nine months later, on September 10, 2023, Scotland refiled the claim seeking recovery of the same $2.4 million.She said T&TEC again sought updates on the matter.According to the Prime Minister, on January 17, 2024, Scotland’s chambers e-mailed T&TEC stating that an application for default judgment had been filed and that a law clerk was following up on the matter.T&TEC continued requesting updates regarding the application.Persad-Bissessar referred to several e-mails sent by T&TEC to Scotland’s chambers throughout 2024 seeking clarification on the status of the case.She said that following discussions between T&TEC’s legal officer and Scotland’s chambers, T&TEC was informed that the application for default judgment had to be refiled.Persad-Bissessar said Scotland’s chambers later confirmed, on November 13, 2024, that the application had been withdrawn and refiled.She said attorneys subsequently wrote to the Registrar of the Supreme Court on April 23, 2026, seeking clarification as to whether any applications for default judgment had ever been filed in either matter.According to the Prime Minister, Registrar Antonya Pierre responded the same day, advising that no applications for default judgment had been filed in either case.She said Registrar Dion Phillip later responded by e-mail on June 8, 2026.According to the Prime Minister, Phillip advised that thorough checks of court records revealed that no requests for judgment in default had been filed in either matter.She further stated that it appeared the claim may never even have been served on the defendant. Monteil could not be reached for comment yesterday.