A REGULATOR  who disappeared was investigating secret accounts of then president Ricardo Martinelli according to a statement made to the Special Prosecutor's Office for Organized Crime

Mayte Pellegrini, accused in the fraud of $14 million in the brokerage Financial Pacific (FP), under questioning  on Thursday, August, 28,.was referring to Vernon Ramos, deputy director of the Financial Analysis Division audit of the Superintendency of Securities (VPS).

In her statement, Pellegrini said she spoke with Ramos, via Skype- between November10 and 14, 2012 when she was in Brazil.

In the conversation, according to Pellegrini, Ramos said he was investigating companies and accounts of Financial Forex, Offshore Jal, and High Spirit and transactions of ClareWest and Iván Valdés, ex-directors of Financial Pacific.

According to the statement of Pellegrini, High Spirit was an account belonging to Martinelli and had been used to manipulate the shares of Petaquilla Minerals and  Petaquilla Gold.

Ramos was last seen on Friday, November 16, 2012, from 1:30 pm to 2:00 pm, in the grounds of his home in Chanis. He had previously submitted a report of the financial status of Financial Pacific members of the board of the Superintendency.

During her testimony Pellegrino referred to threats to her family and her brother being told to warn her to keep her mouth shut.

Pellegrino’s full declaration has been published on line by La Prensa.