A MONEY LAUNDERER GETS AWAY WITH MURDER

Readers of my continuing series, When White-Collar Crime becomes Money Laundering, (in six parts so far) who wanted to know the status, it appears that the Colombian national, Lourdes Cajale, whom her employer alleges embezzled money from the firm's account, and laundered it in Panama, will not be charged with money laundering, either in the US or the Republic of Panama.

It appears that her ploy, suing her former employer, a corporation, for reportedly violating a ficticious  employment agreement, created so many issues of fact, that no prosecutor has brought criminal charges against her, in either state or Federal, Court, or in the Republic of Panama. The bogus civil suit, which has been pending since 2009 in Miami, and has never been set for trial, seems to be in limbo. My sources in Panama have failed to find any criminal charges filed against Cajale there, in this case. She quietly left the United States some time ago, and has not returned, though she is known to be a naturalized American citizen.

Her former employer has paid its attorneys to defend the civil suit; other lawyers were engaged to seek criminal charges against her, and more attorneys to attempt to restore the company's president's US visa, which was revoked, due to unsubstantiated allegations of criminal activity that Cajale reportedly made to American authorities. She artfully gamed the system, as you can see; Justice has not been served.

Bottom line: no criminal charges were filed against her, no civil judgment yet either, and no restoration of visa for her employer. Has she gotten away with murder ? You be the judge, but I wonder how many criminal defense attorneys have taken note of this technique, and have seriously thought about filing a civil action, though there may be no factual basis for any litigation. Let us hope that their ethics prevent them from acting.