Former Turks and Caicos Islands Airports Authority (TCIAA) CEO John Smith has been sentenced to 12 months in prison, suspended for two years, after changing his plea to guilty to misconduct in public office.
The sentence marks a major development in a sprawling corruption case involving alleged improper contracts, concessions and conflicts of interest at airports across Providenciales, Grand Turk, North Caicos and South Caicos between 2013 and 2022.
Smith, who spent more than 12 years at the TCIAA before leaving in June 2020, originally faced 13 charges, including allegations of abuse of public office, failure to disclose private interests and conspiracy to defraud.
Prosecutors accused Smith of abusing his position in connection with contracts for security fencing at Grand Turk Airport and the development of South Caicos and North Caicos airports. He was also accused of failing to disclose interests linked to a proposed contract and of breaching procurement procedures.
The investigation also led to charges against former TCIAA Chief Financial Officer Kenneth Abrams, businessman Alonzo Malcolm and U.S. businessman Robert Koenig.
Koenig was cleared in June 2026 after Supreme Court Justice Christopher Selochan ruled there was no case for him to answer in relation to an airport lighting contract.
Former Chief Financial Officer Kenneth Abrams who also submitted a guilty plea to the charge of misconduct in public office was handed a fine of $12,000.
