(Trinidad Express) Daryan Warner, the eldest son of National Security Minister Jack Warner, has dismissed speculation that he is under house arrest in the United States.
However, he has steadfastly refused to comment on if he is the subject of any investigation by federal authorities there.
Warner, 47, spoke to the Express in an exclusive interview (that ran on TV6 News last night) at his penthouse suite in Miami, Florida, where we tracked him down last Wednesday.
“You want to see an ankle bracelet on, an ankle here and an ankle there. Outside I would show you I not under house arrest, but I not speaking to the media,” he said, standing in the doorway to his penthouse suite, acknowledging the rumours swirling around him before the Express could pose the first question.
He raised his long, navy blue track pants above his ankles, as though to demonstrate that his movements were not restricted by a tracking bracelet—the technology frequently used by US authorities to monitor a person’s whereabouts.
In the last few months there have been rumours that the son of a government minister was under house arrest in the United States. Those reports prompted the media to ask Minister Warner on February 20 whether either of his sons, Daryan or Darryl Warner, had been detained abroad.
“If you think they are detained, there is a simple way—call them and find out if you have their numbers. But I will not say anything until somebody is bold enough to print something or to say something,” an indignant Warner responded.
Seeking answers to a story that continues to churn the rumour mill, the Express took the National Security Minister’s offer one step further and flew to Miami last week.
We found the Warner brothers at Unit 3504 of the Skyline condominium at 2101 Brickell Avenue in Miami.
The affluent neighbourhood on the outskirts of downtown Miami is dotted with upscale hotels, financial institutions and towering condominiums.
Getting inside the Skyline condo is a challenge for visitors, with a guard booth stationed at the top of the driveway.
Visitors can only be admitted after a resident gives clearance to the 24-hour security staff.
The Express posed as prospective buyers to gain access to the luxury building.
On the 35th floor, overlooking the yachts lining the Brickell Bay waterfront, Darryl (who is said to be about 36 years old) answered the door.
He wore a sleeveless vest and a pair of shorts—with no sign of an ankle bracelet.
He told us his elder brother Daryan was at the gym on one of the building’s lower floors.
The Express soon returned to the apartment after turning up empty-handed at the gym.
This time it was Daryan who answered the door. The Express started explaining to him what had brought us to his doorstep.
Despite his initial reluctance, he accommodated our questions.
Mark Bassant: You have been staying here and have no problem and you can leave the compound?
Daryan Warner: Absolutely not.
MB: You go and come as you like?
DW: You want to go for coffee?
MB: Sure, we can do that.
DW: Where you park, Mark?
Mark: I am downstairs, valet parking.
DW: Give me a few minutes to change.
Mark: I appreciate that.
DW: I not going to talk about that, but we can go PF Chang’s, we could go Tootsie’s, Vegas, we could go New York, California, but I not giving any comment to fuel fire.
As though to demonstrate, for a second time, that he was not under house arrest, Daryan proposed meeting in the lobby in 15 minutes.
During that time, the Express visited a vacant one-bedroom unit inside the Skyline building to get a sense of what the Warners’ penthouse spread looked like.
A captivating view of the Brickell Bay beachfront could be seen from the living room and bedroom.
“The only difference with this condo and the Warners’ is that their own is a two-bedroom (unit),” a realtor pointed out to the Express.
Documents obtained through the Miami-Dade County Office of the Property Appraiser website show Darryl Warner as the owner of the top floor Skyline condo.
He purchased the property on November 1, 2006 at US$990,000—approximately TT$6.3 million.
It is one of four properties in the state of Florida owned by the younger Warner son.
Within the space of five months—between June and November last year—he purchased three other townhouses at a total cost of US$385,650 or TT$2.4 million.
Outside the most expensive of the four properties was where we resumed our meeting with Daryan Warner.
Dressed in a black short-sleeved shirt and jeans, Daryan strolled toward his metallic navy blue BMW coupe before stopping again, raising his pants legs a second time to show there was no device clamped around his ankles.
He lashed out at accusations reported by the press in Trinidad.
MB: As far as you know, there is no investigation by the FBI into your financial transactions?
DW: I can speak English, Korean and a bit of Spanish and you can ask me the same question any how you want. My response will be the same.
The Express learned that Daryan has a business in Miami called DW Property Holdings LLC, registered to the same address where he resides.
The business deals with the buying and selling of properties.
Daryan would neither confirm nor deny that he was under investigation by any US authority.
MB: There is no truth to any of the allegations brought forward in the last few months?
DW: That is not for me to determine. That is for you to print and for my representation to take any action that is necessary.
He was not as forthright when asked whether he is allowed to leave the US. He bluntly stated that topic was not up for discussion.
