US bribery confession prompts Panama inquiry
THE CONFESSION of an executive of the international technology company SAP that he bribed three officials of the Panamanian government between 2009 and 2013 to win state contracts worth millions has led to the opening of an investigation by The Public Ministry
The investigation is based on information from the U.S. FBI and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Panama plans to ask these agencies for assistance with the investigation.
The ministry has also sought an audit from the Comptroller of Social Security, which is one of the agencies that purchased equipment from SAP.
SAP official Vicente Eduardo García, 65, has pleaded guilty to allegedly bribing the members of the Panamanian government.
Garcia, who was vice president of global accounts of SAP, is awaiting a sentence, which should be handed down on Dec. 16.
The SEC has a confession by Garcia in which he admits to having paid $145,000 to at least one Panamanian official, who was not identified, in exchange for the $14.5 million contract with Social Security. The value of the equipment was estimated to be $2.1 million.
Garcia earned a commission of $85,000 for the sale.
The contract was signed with former Social Security Director Guillermo Sáenz Llorens and endorsed by former Comptroller Bianchini Gioconda, reports La Prensa.
