GHK Lall Denies Gold Smuggling Ties, Invites FBI Probe

Former Chairman of the Guyana Gold Board (GGB), GHK Lall, has denied any involvement in gold smuggling during his tenure from 2017 to 2019 and has called for a full-scale investigation into the operations of the GGB — including his own conduct — by United States (U.S.) authorities such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Lall said no intelligence or formal reports during his time at the Gold Board ever linked Nazar or Azruddin Mohamed — now indicted in the United States — to smuggling activity.

“The Mohameds’ name, whenever it came up, or whomever else’s name, it didn’t reach us,” he said, adding that information on gold smuggling was mostly anecdotal and rarely specific.
“I absolutely welcome an investigation of myself… by inviting the FBI of America to participate.”

The comments come in the wake of U.S. sanctions and indictments against the Mohameds in October 2025, related to a US$5.3 billion gold smuggling operation. Lall said he first learned of the seized shipment in Miami only when the indictment was unsealed.

He maintained that the GGB operated within a narrow legal mandate and that more sensitive intelligence likely bypassed his office entirely. Addressing the U.S. claim that smuggled gold may have been exported using reused GGB seals, Lall explained that the system in place was built to prevent tampering.

“Once a sealed box is opened, the seals should be ruptured and not reusable… For that to happen would take a lot of skill and a lot of cooperation,” he said.

Lall acknowledged previous internal weaknesses within the GGB, including overly “cozy” staff relationships with exporters, and said efforts were made to implement stricter compliance and anti-money laundering protocols. These included requiring identification, addresses, and transaction tracking for miners — which, he said, drew resistance from some industry players.

“This is political persecution,” Lall said. “Some very senior people in this country are so twisted… they cannot believe a man can walk a straight line in public office.”

Meanwhile…

In a related development, Lall has initiated legal proceedings against media personality Mikhail Rodrigues, also known as The Guyanese Critic, for alleged defamatory remarks made on his broadcast platforms.

The pre-action letter, issued by attorneys-at-law Christopher Ram and Nigel Hughes, targets statements made by Rodrigues on his Facebook programme Progress Report with the Critic and on Norman Browne / VOD TV. Rodrigues accused Lall of being a key player in corruption and complicit in gold smuggling activities.

Lall’s legal team described the remarks as “false and malicious,” stating they caused serious reputational harm to their client. One of Rodrigues’ broadcast statements cited in the letter alleged:

“GHK Lall is one of the leading factors, one of the leading players in corruption in Guyana.”

The legal action underscores the deepening tension between public officials and politically aligned media voices, as fallout from the gold smuggling scandal continues.