Panama gave Spain link to Martinelli frontman channeling $91 million

Information provided by the Panamanian Prosecutor’s Office about a company headed by   lawyer Mauricio Cort – identified  as the  frontman  for former president Ricardo Martinelli – led the current Directorate of Spanish construction giant  FCC  to initiate an internal investigation that allowed the discovery of the payment of commissions for $91 million, between 2010 and 2014, in exchange for public works awards in the isthmus.

This was stated by the FCC legal representative during his appearance before Ismael Moreno, judge of the National Court, as reported by El Español .

Alfonso Iglesia, legal representative appointed by the three subsidiary companies of FCC charged as legal persons for international corruption in Panama, appeared at the offices of the National Court of Spain, in Madrid.

The case accuses the Spanish construction company of  the payment of more than 82 million euros in coimas (kickbacks) to obtain contracts  for  construction of metro lines and the City of Health.

According to El Español , FCC explained to Moreno that the internal investigation that led to the discovery of an alleged international bribery of greater scope than the one known until then by the National Court had nothing to do with the proceedings initiated in 2017, but had its origin in a meeting held in Panama with the prosecutor of that country, int April.

In that interview, Panamanian prosecutors asked the FCC envoy about what he knew of a company linked to Cort who, they suspected, was able to channel multi-million dollar bribes.

 The compliance committee of the Spanish construction company approved the initiation of inquiries that resulted in the presentation of two complaints in the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office on May 31 and June 6.

The newspaper report shows that FCC delivered 38 invoices and transfers made between the end of 2010 and 2014 – prior, therefore, to the current managers of the construction company – r fictitious technical consulting services

At the time of being questioned, the legal representative of the construction company explained that she could not provide the information given that the company did not know about these transfers until the Panamanian prosecutor put her on the trail of a certain company of Mauricio Cort.

Int October, the National Court charged subsidiary companies of the FCC for the alleged commission of corruption offenses in international transactions involving projects developed in Panama.