NEW EVIDENCE OF MONEY LAUNDERING SURFACES: CHECKS FROM COLOMBIAN FRAUDSTER TO COMPANIES OWNED BY PRESIDENT OF PANAMA

President Martinelli and David Murcia Guzmán

New evidence has emerged to confirm previous allegations that the convicted Colombian Ponzi schemer, David Helmut Murcia Guzmán, was laundering his criminal proceeds through two companies* owned and controlled by Ricardo Martinelli, during the 2009 election campaign of the current president of the Republic of Panama. We have previously made those charges on this blog, based upon the accounts of witnesses with personal knowledge of the operation, but the discovery of documentary evidence now leaves no doubt as to the truth and accuracy of their information. We have previously reported that as a newly-elected president, Martinelli ordered the Attorney General of Panama to close a pending criminal investigation into the allegations in 2010 and later accused her of illegal wiretapping, to discredit her.

The checks were written on accounts of corporations owned by David Murcia, and have caused a political firestorm in Panama City. Martinelli's wife is a candidate for vice president, and the president has stated that he intends to maintain control over his country, after he leaves office, behind the scenes, which has alarmed many of the American expats residing there.

Whether an effective criminal investigation will now be mounted is unclear, given the strength of presidential power, and the rampant corruption that pervades government agencies. As soon as the actual checks are made public, we shall post them on this blog.
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* Ricamar SA, and CD SA.