INVESTIGATION: NATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM RECEIVED $10m FOR PHANTOM HELICOPTER FLIGHTS

As the depth of the massive Panamanian corruption scandal becomes known, even longtime observers of the local corruption scene are amazed. The latest: PAN, the government-run national assistance (help) program, collected $10m for bogus helicopter flights that were never conducted. These "fantasy" flights never took place, according to the records of the country's civil aviation authority.

The stated purposes of the phantom flights were:
(1) Medical evacuations.
(2) Travel of government staff members.
(3) rescues, and other unspecified activities.

Fund were reportedly paid, without any corresponding flights conducted, to:
(A) Cabin Corp.
(B) Heliflight Panama SA.
(C) Angels Wings Life Team Inc.
(D) Level One Venture Everlast Aviation.

Were there kickbacks paid to corrupt PEPs, or did the PEPs actually control the aviation companies ? As more details become available, we shall update our readers.