Trinidad Senator Anil Roberts faces backlash after alleged chats with 16-year-old surface online

Trinidad and Tobago: Anil Roberts, a Senator in the Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago, has been accused by a teenage girl of sexually abusing her when she was 16 years old. The allegation, which includes a claim that he is a paedophile, has sparked serious public concern.

The controversy erupted after screenshots of WhatsApp conversations allegedly between Roberts and a teenage girl began circulating online this week.

A teenager identified as Alicia shared the screenshots on her Facebook account, claiming they showed inappropriate exchanges initiated by Roberts. The screenshots were reportedly dated around August 15, 2024.

According to the Writeups 24, a regional based news website, the girl has alleged that the then 55-year-old Trinidad politician is a paedophile and was trying to get involved with a much younger girl who was 16 at the time.

The screenshots allegedly show a conversation in which the person believed to be Anil Roberts addresses the recipient as “Alicia." He asked about her plans for the weekend, and also mentioned her visit to her grandmother’s house. The exchange then continues with questions about when she would be returning home and what she intended to do afterward.

The writeups 24 unveiled that based on the screenshots, the conversation later turns to the girl’s plans to go out with friends. In the messages, Roberts is alleged to have offered to “take care of the cheque,” implying that he would cover the cost of the meal, and asked her to call him once she was finished. The recipient appears to reject the offer, saying she had already received her weekly allowance from her mother.

The messages further appear to show Roberts comparing the situation to a boyfriend paying for a meal and suggesting that “things would be different” if it were him. The exchange ends with him asking to speak to her on the phone.

As the posts gained traction online, a number of social media users began questioning the nature of the conversation and expressing concern over the alleged age of the girl mentioned in the circulating claims. Many Facebook users also criticized the politician, saying this is not the first time he has been involved in controversy.

One user identified as Aisling wrote, “LifeSport 2014: $400 million of taxpayers’ money gone, criminals funded, resign in disgrace. Housing Ministry 2025: illegally leaking confidential financial data of private citizens to play politics. This man is a walking scandal and now a 3rd scandal!!! What else can we expect from him.” Another user commented, “The US has the Epstein files. Now Trinis wants to create their own version. Lol.”

A Facebook user named Dave also made a comparison to Jeffrey Epstein, writing, “One more to the Epstein list.” People expressed concerns and called him Trinidad and Tobago’s Epstein.

At the same time, some people claimed they did not believe the chats were authentic and suggested they may have been fabricated. “This is fake. Wording doesn't match him,” one user said, while another wrote, “PNM fake news again causing mischief. PNM is looking for voters and bacchanal as usual.”

This is not the first occasion on which Roberts has faced controversy during his political career. Over the years, the outspoken political figure has been linked to several incidents that attracted major public attention in Trinidad and Tobago.

One of the most notable controversies emerged in 2014 during the fallout surrounding the LifeSport Programme, a state initiative intended to engage at-risk youth through sport and development. Roberts, who was serving as Minister of Sport at the time, was closely connected to the programme, which later became embroiled in scandal after allegations of financial mismanagement, criminal involvement, and inadequate oversight surfaced.

The programme was eventually suspended amid several allegations, including fraud, misuse of state funds, and incidents involving individuals associated with it. Investigations into LifeSport later turned it into one of the most widely discussed political controversies in Trinidad and Tobago.

In 2025, Roberts again came under scrutiny after a formal complaint was reportedly submitted to the Integrity Commission accusing him of leaking confidential information tied to the Housing Development Corporation (HDC). Reports claimed that he had publicly revealed sensitive financial details belonging to private citizens that were obtained through his public office.

With these latest allegations now spreading online, Roberts has once again come under heavy public attention. He has since responded through his official TikTok account, firmly rejecting the claims.

In a video posted online, the senator called the allegations “fabricated nonsense” and accused political opponents associated with the People’s National Movement (PNM) of being behind the claims.

He maintained that the language in the screenshots does not reflect the way he speaks and insisted that the conversation was entirely manufactured. Roberts also said he plans to take legal action and warned that the matter would be brought before the courts against those responsible for spreading the claims.