Venezuelan political scammer arrested in Panama

A POLITICIAN who in 2006 aspired to the presidency of Venezuela is sitting in a police holding cell in Panama.

Carmelo Roman Pérez founder of the Liberal Movement Pueblo Kingdom (MLPU), was arrested in Panama last week, pending extradition proceedings, at the request of the Spanish Government for a scam crime . 

Roman Perez was arrested on Tuesday July 23 at Tocumen airport when he arrived in the country from Venezuela, sources told La Prensa

"Currently Roman Perez is in a holding cell at the DIJ on orders from Panama's Foreign Ministry," 

The Venezuelan politician was apparently in the country, to see a doctor for treatment, the source added.,

Spain has 60 days to support the extradition request, said the source.

In February this year the Criminal Chamber of the Supreme Court of Spain upheld the sentence of four years in prison and a fine of 6000 euros that was imposed on Roman in 2012 for defrauding a Spanish businessman, with the excuse of needing money to fund his party and to resolve a lawsuit  that was pending in Italy, according to a Spanish daily.

The first judgment was issued on January 31, 2012 by the second section of the High Court of Valencia, Spain.

The resolution of the sentence, according to a Spanish publication, noted that the scammer told his victim that he had founded a party in Venezuela which Hugo Chavez wanted to face. He also said he owned an export company in Germany "that was having a hard time" and he had a lawsuit in Italy that, if he won, he would receive 100 million euros.

Roman Perez convinced the businessman that he needed money to pay Italian attorney’s fees and the constitution of his party. 

The Spanish entrepreneur was "dazzled by Romano",so through Decembef 2004 and the summer of 2005, he teansferred to him  553,000 euros, and 38,425 appliances. while “Romano did not intend to return anything, said the court ruling.