‘Pay for no work’   embezzlement probe

A criminal investigation into alleged botellas (salaries paid for nonexistent jobs) at the Panamanian Autonomous Cooperative Institute (Ipacoop), which governs the country’s credit unions.

 Anti-corruption prosecutors arrived at the entity’s headquarters on Friday, May 17 after a complaint filed by the  Office of the Comptroller General for the alleged commission of crimes against the public administration (embezzlement)

In the criminal complaint filed reference was made to alleged irregularities in salary collections by executive assistants, and advisers appointed in Ipacoop that entity who were not going to work(botellas).

Prosecutor Tania Sterling stressed that they were at the offices to obtain other elements that complement the work done by the Comptroller.

Sterling said that they are conducting visual eye inspections in the Human Resources and Legal Advice Department of Ipaccop and that they have had the cooperation of the team assigned to them to comply with this phase. 

If there are elements to be charged, interviews would be in the hearing rooms of the Public Ministry.