Court rejects move to block money laundering probe

A Panama court has thrown out an attempt to block a  money laundering investigation of the family of the former Minister of Presidency, Demetrio Jimmy Papadimitriu.

The Twelfth Criminal Court rejected an incident of nullity against the order to investigate Marian Bagatelas de Papadimitriu, mother of Jimmy Papadimitriu.

IT  was ordered by the Special Anti-corruption Prosecutor’s Office in the investigation for alleged receipt of Odebrecht bribes.

In a resolution dated August 31, the court establishes that there are elements of conviction that involve linking the researched with the alleged commission of the crime of money laundering.

The court noted that in collaboration agreements agreed so far by the Public Ministry with Executives of Odebrecht, it was established that former Minister Papadimitriu received payments from the Brazilian constructor, through his parents Diamantis Papadimitriu and María Bagatelas de Papadimitriu.

An analysis of the accounts of the Papadimitriu family was carried out and in four of their companies.

In the crime of money laundering the burden of proof is reversed, so it is the prosecuted who must prove the legality of the flows that he owns.