BRIDGETOWN, Barbados — Caribbean cricket has been shaken by a new wave of corruption allegations following the provisional suspension of West Indies player Javon Searles and two team officials over their alleged involvement in match-fixing during the 2023-24 Bim10 League.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed on Wednesday that Searles, along with Titans franchise owner Chitranjan Rathod and team official Trevon Griffith, has been charged with multiple breaches of anti-corruption regulations after a thorough investigation into the tournament held in Barbados.
Multiple breaches under scrutiny
The charges span several areas of concern. Rathod faces three counts under the Cricket West Indies (CWI) Code, while Searles and Griffith face more serious allegations, each with four breaches of the CWI Code. Griffith has also been charged under the ICC Code in addition to the CWI violations.
All three individuals have been jointly charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice and match-fixing (Article 2.1.1), accused of attempting to manipulate the outcome, progression, or conduct of matches during the Bim10 event.
They are further accused of facilitating corruption (Article 2.1.4) by allegedly encouraging other players or support personnel to commit offenses under the CWI Code, and obstruction (Article 2.4.4) for failing to cooperate fully with anti-corruption investigators.
Searles and Griffith also face charges of non-reporting (Article 2.4.2), relating to their failure to disclose any approaches or invitations to engage in corrupt activity to CWI officials.
Griffith’s situation is further complicated by an ICC Code violation (Article 2.4.7) for allegedly obstructing the investigation through concealment or tampering with relevant information.
Immediate suspension and response window
All three individuals have been provisionally suspended from all cricket activities with immediate effect. They have 14 days from March 11, 2026, to respond to the charges.
This latest action follows a growing series of investigations into corruption in Caribbean cricket. It comes after USA player Aaron Jones was charged on January 28 with five breaches of the CWI and ICC Anti-Corruption Codes.
The ICC emphasized that it will make no further comment pending the outcome of the disciplinary proceedings, signaling that the investigation remains ongoing and potentially far-reaching.
A widening crisis in Caribbean cricket
The scandal marks a significant blow to the integrity of the Bim10 League and Caribbean cricket at large, raising questions about governance, anti-corruption enforcement, and oversight in regional competitions.
With a high-profile player and senior team officials now suspended, the spotlight remains on both the ICC and CWI to ensure transparency and accountability, and to uphold the credibility of cricket across the region.
