Defense lawyers file pressure complaint in Mossack Fonseca probe

LAWYERS  representing one of the alleged  key players in the money laundering investigation of Panama law firm Mossack Fonseca,  have filed a complaint against a trio of anti-corruption  prosecutors  who they claim pressured their client to plead guilty and give evidence against  the firm’s  founding partners.

Some of the statements reports La Prensa were:

“You are the first shovel to bury Mossack and Fonseca.”

“Mossack and Fonseca chose you as a scapegoat.”

“They’re going to tear you apart.”

“If you want to see your father alive, you better accept this opportunity, because you do not know when you will leave jail”

The statements were allegedly made to Maria Mercedes Riaño, who ran the  Mossack Fonseca operation in Brazil, to declare herself guilty of money laundering in the case.

The  complaint filed by Riaño’s lawyers  is against prosecutors Rómulo Bethancourt, Ricaurte González and Vielka Broce.

According to the document, Broce was in charge of trying to negotiate with Riaño.

If she pleaded guilty to the crime of money laundering her sentence would be  reduced to 48 months convertible to  fines.

In the legal action filed  Friday March 24, the three prosecutors are accused pf the alleged commission of crimes of abuse of authority and violation of public duties.

Riaño, along with Ramón Fonseca Mora, Jurgen Mossack, and Edison Teano, are  in pre-trial detention

Second Against Organized Crime, after Brazilian prosecutors investigating the Lava Jato operation

Want to  determine which companies created by Mossack Fonseca would have been used to pay bribes to Brazilian businessmen and politicians.