Martinelli links in laundering probe

"Artful Dodger " Virzi (R)

 
1,052Views 0Comments Posted 30/04/2018

Former Panama  Vice-President, Felipe Pipo Virzi, who is facing multiple criminal investigations, on Monday, Apr.30  took what for him has become a familiar path leading to an anti-corruption prosecutor’s office.

Earlier visits had led to preventive detention which an amenable judge converted to house arrest, leading to more charges over real estate dealings perpetrated while under “arrest”.

Virzi, who could challenge the  avoidance  skills of Dickens’ Artful Dodger’ has managed to delay or avoid appearing in court on numerous occasions, once by registering in the closing minutes   as a candidate in a PRD internal election, although his recent track record has been hob-nobbing with the CD and the coterie of camp followers in the Ricardo Martinelli Zero Circle.

Health has been another excuse, although he has managed to drive himself to meetings and legal appointments.

On Monday  he arrived at the Avesa building,on Via Espana , to make a declaration to the 7th anti-corruption prosecutor as  part of a Public Ministry  the Ministry  money laundering investigation capital, linked to the alleged use of privileged information in the Financial Pacific (FP) brokerage during the Martinelli government, and involving Petaquilla share  manipulation on Toronto’s Stock Exchange   Virzi arrived at 8:35 a.m. with  his lawyer Alfredo Vallarino.

"The elements for money laundering are not given," Vallarino told waiting media, adding that he does not know what will happen to his client at the end of this procedure; but he expects his procedural rights will be respected  ... More friendly judges, more adjournments, more medical exams?

The investigation originated in a complaint filed in 2015 by the Stock Market Superintendency  (SMV), in which it accuses the companies High Spirit Overseas and Jal Offshore, both with investment accounts in FP, of receiving funds of unknown origin, to buy shares of Petaquilla Minerals.

The complaint of the SMV is based on information provided by the liquidator of FP, José Ángel Hidrogo, about a group of client accounts that presented "irregular management" and that could have benefited from privileged information to acquire the shares.

According to the SMV complaint, the beneficiary of Jal Offshore (( registered in Belize) is the lawyer Ramses Owens. While High Spirit is linked to former President Ricardo Martinelli whose web attracted many all party flies