Panama’s Public Ministry (MP)    is seeking the extradition from the USA of a prominent member of the inner circle of former president Ricardo Martinelli to face money laundering charges.

The MP has asked the  Foreign  Ministry to help seek  the  arrest for extradition of businessman Gabriel Gaby Btesh - who has skipped a $250,000 bail bond- as part of the investigation of the “New Business” case  related to transactions for the purchase of Editora Panamá América, S.A. (Epasa) with alleged public funds.

The request, dated August 20, is based on Article 9 of the Treaty of Extradition signed between Panama and the United States in 1904.

The First Prosecutor's Office against Organized Crime requested the seizure of all articles, instruments, valuables or documents in possession of Btesh at the time of his arrest, which can be used as evidence of the crime for which his extradition is requested. According to Interpol reports, Btesh is in the United States.

An order to attend an investigation was issued in June 2017 and a detention order on July 28, 2017.

In a ruling of July 4, 2018, The Second Superior Court revoked the bond that the Eighteenth Criminal  Court  had granted him for $250,000

"The accused was granted bail and has not offered the slightest interest in appearing in Panamanian territory to register the respective bond, " says the ruling, with a presentation by Judge Wilfredo Sáenz.