Martinelli middleman facing criminal charges

 THE FORMER head of Ensa and ex-vicepresident of  a Ricardo Martinelli owned, company  said to be the middleman in a  fraudulent program run by the then president,  has been charged with  committing crimes against the public administration.

Javiere Pariente  and lawyer Amado Arjona Duque  are accused  of  alleged anomalies in  a contract for the purchase of dehydrated  food  through the extinct National Assistance Program (PAN).

A judicial source said Pariente is in the United States

The First Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office filed charges for the alleged commission of crimes against the public administration, as part of the investigation being conducted into alleged anomalies following the implementation in 2010 of the first contract for the sale of dehydrated  food through the Social Investment Fund  now extinct, which then became the National Assistance Program (PAN),  today the Welfare Administration (DAS).

According to an audit by the Comptroller, the transaction, finalized when Giacomo Tamburrelli headed PAN, caused a possible injury to the state of $14.5 million. Tamburrelli is under house arrest while the investigation is  being  conducted into alleged irregularities in the implementation of the second contract of $44.9 million. An investigation published  by La Prensa in August 2015 revealed that Pariente, former vice president of Importadora Ricamar  owned  by  Ricardo Martinelli was the  link between  Martinellewho  was considered the “architect” of the dehydrated food business and Tamburelli.

Arjona, got a contract of $12 million for allegedly advising the company Lerkshore International Limited which sold the food- and another $10 million in fees connected with the Cold Chain.