Ex-Labor Minister heading to court in expenses scam

Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s announced on Wednesday, October 24, the continuation of the case against former Labor Minister Alma Cortés and six other ex-officers of the ministry( IMitradel)  for the alleged embezzlement of $49,000 in a  travel expenses scam.

The process concerns three meetings of the International Labor Organization (ILO) in Geneva, Switzerland, supposedly attended by Ministry officers.

After the investigations that began in August 2014, the prosecution points out that the officers received two travel expenses for the same trip,  and in addition received travel expenses on days they did not participate in the meetings.

An audit of the Comptroller General estimated possible injury to the State of more than $49,000 the in the alleged

appropriation of travel expenses.  Then minister Cortés requested travel expenses for herself, for her

sister Lourdes Cortés (technical advisor), Hernán García (general secretary of the ministry), Iván Gantes (international affairs consultant) and Julia Aidée Zeballos (assistant among others.

Lourdes Cortés, a deputy of the Central American Parliament, is investigated by the Supreme

Court Tthe Court admitted the complaint in 2015.

The trial against Alma Cortés and the rest of the former officials is awaiting a preliminary hearing by the 12th  riminal Court.