Why was Millionaire Boris Mannsfeld Murdered?

Police are still trying to determine a motive for the murder of American businessman Boris Mannsfeld, who was shot at the Cocoplum Villas in Placencia on Friday. Mannsfeld, a major real estate developer in Belize for the past two decades, primarily operated in Placencia. He was shot once in the back of the neck and found lying on the ground with his wallet and still-holstered firearm. While the motive remains unclear, Mannsfeld was involved in several fraud cases before the court, both as the accused and the accuser. Here’s News Five’s Britney Gordon with more details.

 

Britney Gordon, Reporting

The murder of real estate mogul Boris Mannsfeld remains a mystery. On February twentieth, Mannsfeld returned to his beachside villa on the Placencia Peninsula, and by the next night, he was found dead on the front steps. Police believe this was a targeted attack, as Mannsfeld was involved in several high-profile legal battles. In 2024, Mannsfeld sent out emails to media houses across the country, detailing allegations of fraud schemes run by multiple colleagues in the industry, two of whom had been murdered. Several of these emails mention businessman Frik De Meyere, a former associate who severed ties with Mannsfeld in 2023. Mannsfeld accused De Meyere of using Boris Mannsfeld’s website to redirect customers to a separate page, allegedly stealing business. Within forty-eight hours of Mannsfeld’s death, De Meyere was picked up by police for questioning. Attorney Andrew Bennett provides some insight into his client’s ongoing legal dispute.

 

Andrew Bennett, Attorney-at-law

“Mr. De Meyere tendered his notice of resignation of partnership to Mr. Boris Mannsfeld. Unfortunately, occurring at the same time was the discovery of nonpayment of stamp duties on real estate transactions. This involved the firm of JC Consulting. And as a result of that, there was a further dispute. whereby Mr. Mannsfeld alleged misappropriation of funds by Mr. Frik De Meyere. That led to several lawsuits being filed in the court.  We have provided a defense on behalf of Mr. De Meyere. We were going through several of them, but unfortunately, they have not really moved from pleadings In the claim 760 of 2023, which dealt with the allegation of funds being misappropriated by Frik, an application was made to appoint an expert auditor, Cedric Flowers.  But as of today that did not move anywhere.”

 

De Meyere wasn’t the only colleague Mannsfeld accused of fraud. In another email, he detailed a land fraud plot that he claimed involved De Meyere, the late Ricardo Borja, and Darren Taylor. Mannsfeld alleged that the trio commissioned fake passports and bribed government officials to fast-track their scheme. Commissioner of Police Chester Williams stated that these allegations have yet to be proven or disproven.

 

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“For us to be able to investigate, the investigation needs to be triggered by somebody. If it were that there were passports that were fraudulently issued, then immigration would have come to the police and lodged a complaint, and then we would investigate.  if it were that situations where, as I read what was posted by Mr. Mannsfeld of, I think it was tax stamp duty, stamp duty fraud. Again, we would need to get a complaint from the Ministry of Natural Resources stamp duty division or section on that matter so that we would be able to investigate. So our investigators are going to touch base certainly with the Ministry of Natural Resources on that issue and see if we will be able to get something from them to prove or dispel the allegations as outlined by Mr. Mannsfeld.”

 

While Mannsfeld told the media and his clients that he was about to blow the lid off a multimillion-dollar land fraud scheme, he was also facing several claims of unlawful business practices in court. Police Commissioner Chester Williams emphasized that investigators are not overlooking the complexity of this case and are exploring every possible motive.

 

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police (File: February 24, 2024)

“ We’re also looking at the business transactions that Mr Mannsfeld may have with other individuals without being able to see if we will be able to close in on a possible motive and perhaps suspect. So at this time we don’t have much where that is concerned.”

 

On Monday, Bennett also shed light on the legal battle his client, Frik De Meyere, had along with Mannsfeld against the late Ricardo Borja. With Mannsfeld’s death, it’s uncertain how the legal proceedings will move forward, as they were scheduled to return to court today. De Meyere has since been released from police custody, but his phone, computer, and firearm have yet to be returned to him.

 

Andrew Bennett

“We coincidentally, we go to court tomorrow, that would have been another claim which involved the in terms of the stamp duties that Mr. Mannsfeld was alleging was misappropriated by J.C. consulting Ricardo Borja and he had joined Frik De Meyere in those proceedings. That would have been the hearing of an application for the appointment of somebody to represent the estate of Ricardo Borja. So at this point, everything now is in suspense.  We will need directions from the court in terms of how it will move forward.”

 

More details to come as the story develops. Britney Gordon for News Five.