Expanding Interpol red alerts for Panama suspects

THE Interpol Office in Panama  is a busy place these days as the number of ‘red alerts’ for the apprehension of key players  in alleged corruption  scams continues to swell.

When the paperwork is competed in the US State Department, Ex-president Ricardo Martinelli  will take his place on the roll of infamy joining his former  private secretary playboy Adolfo de Obarrio, and a raft of former Martinelli inner circle members who have fled  the country and who are referred to as victims of political persecution by members of the CD party.

Recent red alert notifications  include Iván Clare, West Valdés, Manuel Morales Díez, Mauricio Ortiz Poma, Ricardo Calvo Latorraca and Claudio Poma Murialdo.

The “entrepreneurs”” are accused by the First Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office of alleged embezzlement  in the granting of  a $9 million loan by Caja de Ahorros (CA) to the consortium HPC Contratas P & V to finance the construction of the failed Amador Convention Center.

The first prosecutor Tania Sterling, who has been threatened on social media,  issued attendance  orders for interrogation  on November 7, but the suspects failed to  appear and , on November 11 the prosecutor requested the  Interpol red alerts.

At that time, the General Secretary of the Public Ministry (MP), Rolando Rodríguez confirmed that “there is information that the suspects  are not within the territory of the Republic of Panama.”

The background
In 2012, the CA granted a credit line for $ 9 million to finance the convention center construction work.

On January 2, 2013, $7 million was deposited in the Summer Venture Inc. account,to  which Ricardo Calvo and Felipe Virzi are signatories.

Days later, the money was transferred to an account of the Financial Pacific brokerage  headed by  Clare and Valdés

The money would have been deposited, presumably, to cover the $12 million gap in the finances of the brokerage  after a multi-million dollar  embezzlement.

While Ortiz Poma, Morales Díez and Poma Murialdo are partners of HPC Contratas P & V, who obtained the loan and did not invest in the project.

So far, 20 people involved in the case with former bank president .

Riccardo Francolini and manager Jason Pastor detained in prison awaiting trial.

The case also has alleged links to Martinelli who is currently living in Miami, where he fled two years ago.