FEAR AND LOATHING IN PANAMA : DAVID MURCIA WILL BE TESTIFYING ABOUT HIS MISSING BILLIONS

This man can bring down some of Panama's biggest thieves

The usual suspects are shaking in their boots in Panama City, for the convicted Ponzi schemer/pyramid fraudster, David Eduardo Helmut Murcia Guzmán*, will reportedly be made available for a video deposition, from his undisclosed location in the United States. Murcia, you may recall, left $3-4bn in liquid assets**, and substantial investments in Panama, when he was summarily extradited to Colombia, to face criminal charges there, and the vultures stole him blind shortly after he departed.

Now, in response to a Panamanian request, he has agreed to give sworn testimony about the sum and substance of his dealings with prominent Panamanian banks, businessmen and money launderers. The reason for all the hoopla:  the majority of his investments were outright stolen when he was extradited. Though real estate, yachts and cold cash represent the bulk of the missing treasure, sixteen luxury automobiles, in the custody of Panamanian authorities, also went missing after he was acquitted in Panama. Murcia can bury a lot of dirty Panamanians, and they know it.

Remember, Murcia did "business" with Panama's current president, as well as many other individuals, many of whom assisted him in making major investments in Panama. Will any of them be forced to disgorge their illicit holdings to the Government of Panama ? We cannot say, but there are many in Panama City who will not be sleeping well this month, or next.
____________________________________________________________________
*Murcia's Colombian conviction and 30-year sentence, was recently affirmed on appeal, though it appears that the United States Government may allow him to reside in America, and not be returned to Colombia, in exchange for his continuing cooperation.
** Murcia is frequently described as the Bernard Madoff of Colombia, due to the size of his criminal enterprise.