Corruption suspects found with holes in pockets.

Officials with the Tribunal de Cuentas, hunting for  the disappeared   millions of some of the major suspects   in  corruption scandals, have said that they have found numerous bank accounts linked to former government officials with suspiciously low balances.

They said that it appears funds have been removed from these accounts by the targets of corruption probes to keep them from being seized.

To date, the tribunal has ordered the seizure of 20 vehicles, $143,430, 13 properties and 3 helicopters as part of eight corruption investigations it is involved in. The investigations relate to alleged acts of corruption in the purchase of food, equipment and the rental of helicopters through the National Assistance Program (PAN), and the proceeds from a contract granted to collect back taxes that was granted to the firm Cobranzas del Istmo.

For example, in the investigation into the sale of food to the PAN at inflated prices by the company Lerkshore International Limited, an account was seized containing $1,331. Another defendant in the case, former Minister of Education Lucy Molinar had two bank accounts seized. While one had $19,156 in it, another had just $448.58. Prosecutors have also seized 10 properties and four vehicles in that case.

In the case of the rental of helicopters, the court seized three helicopters owned by Heliflight Panama, S.A., a company linked to businessman Fotis Lymberópulos. He is a personal friend of the former Minister of Social Development Guillermo Ferrufino, who ordered the rentals. Also seized was a bank account containing $59,315. But the account of another company in this case, Cabin Corp., linked to the businessman Gabriel Btesh, had just $796.17 in it when it was seized reports La Prensa

Two accounts belonging to Ferrufino were seized. While one contained $31,658, another had $542.

Tribunal official Guido Rodríguez said the differences in the account balances are an indication that money may have been moved out of some accounts. He said that steps are being taken to track the movement of these funds.

“We are in contact with several companies specialized in tracing transactions made in Panama and abroad,” he explained, adding that the legal representatives of the defendants could be compelled to testify about these transactions and the current location of funds.