The Second Criminal Court has opened a criminal case against Mayte Pellegrini, Carlos Pellegrini Puerta, and seven others for the alleged embezzlement of $18 million from the now defunct Financial Pacific securities brokerage. Four other cases were dismissed.

The preliminary hearing of those involved in the case took place on Friday, May 18.

Pellegrini's defense lawyer, Kevin Moncada, had filed an appeal against the decision of the court not to admit two writs of the statute of limitations in the action.

The case, began in 2012.