Money laundering suspects free to roam

Former Vice President Felipe Virzi,  whose name keeps popping up in corruption investigations remains free to enjoy the comforts of home and socializing with the remains of the Martinell inner circle.

After hours  of interrogation by the Seventh Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s related to transfers made by Jal Offshore Ltd. through an investment account in the Financial Pacific (FP) brokerage, he was placed under “country arrest”

Virzi is linked to the money laundering case for having deposited $1.5 million in Jal Offshore’s account, a payment that, according to the prosecution, was irregular, because it could not be justified by Virzi.

His lawyer Alfredo Vallarino said that Virzi wrote a check to pay his partner Gabriel Gaby Btesh and that the money is not of Illegal origin, so there is no money laundering.

In addition, he said that his client was already investigated for the alleged commission of that same crime in another probe linked to FP, and for that reason, there is “a clear double judgment”. He announced that he filed an appeal with the Fourteenth Criminal Court, to request the nullity of the process.

The prosecution points out that, according to documents, the investment account of Jal Offshore registered the  deposit $1.5 million deposit by  made by Virzi, “who was not a customer of the securities firm Financial Pacific, and of which [the deposit] there are no documents that support the reason for said transaction to the aforementioned investment account “.

Prosecutors also impute to Virzi the alleged commission of the crimes of embezzlement and corruption of public servants.

According to the inquiries, Jal Offshore’s account received $4.4 million from companies and individuals in

a short period of time and from those who had no relationship with the owner of the account, which was constituted in an alleged violation of the rules of the stock market.

In addition, he says, from the account of Jal Offshore  account payments were made to third parties that had no relation with the account holder

The prosecution had also planned to investigate Riccardo Francolini, but he did not show and Carlos Carrillo, one of his lawyers, indicated that his visit was for the purpose of finding out details of the charges imputed to his client.

Carrillo announced that he filed a writ of habeas corpus before the Supreme Court of Justice (CSJ), to avoid Francolini being arrested.

The lawyer, without giving further explanations, said that this investigation already prescribed and said that There is also a double judgment against his client.

The prosecution says  Francolini figures as the true shareholder of the company Goldline Overseas Business, which deposited $250m000 n the Jal Offshore Ltd. account.

Francolini, who was chairman of the board of the State savings bank is charged with alleged money laundering, embezzlement, and corruption of officials.

The public prosecutor also imposed a precautionary measure of country arrest on to Salomon Jack Btesh.