Martinelli  faces $96 million laundering and corruption complaint

The Baltasar Garzón Foundation (Fibgar) has presented, in the National Court of Spain, a complaint against former president Ricardo Martinelli (2009-2014), for alleged money laundering and corruption in international economic transactions, reports the  Europa Press news agency.

Fibgar also requests to adhere to the existing accusations in which the multinational Fomento de Construcciones y Constratas (FCC) and some workers and former directors of its subsidiaries FCC Construcción Centroamérica and Construcciones Hospitalarias are being investigated the latter the contractor of the City of Health, in Ancón. According to Europa Press , there are  14  defendants

The  indictment indicates that the person responsible for the Legal Department of FCC Co. declared  before a prosecutor’s office on July 3, “that the documents attached to the complaint had served as formal cover for the outflow of funds from the company to Mauricio Cort as the frontman for [Ricardo] Martinelli, former president of Panama for the payment of commissions demanded by the latter to allow FCC to operate in Panama … “

“All of them would have participated, according to [the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office], in a consortium with the multinational Odebrecht that, according to the accusation, generated over-charges in the steel supply contracts, worth 82 million euros [$96.7 million], in the construction projects of Metro lines and the City of Health in Panama, among others, ”the agency says.

While in Panama, in just one of the five projects investigated, cost overruns have been detected that exceed $40 million, not including bribes for its award.

 In Panama, the Public Ministry is investigating alleged embezzlement, corruption, and money laundering, in five state projects: the City of Health the Metro lines, and the road reorganization in Vía Brasil, the expansion from Domingo Díaz avenue and the renovation of Casco Viejo.

Upon learning of Fibgar’s actions before the Spanish National Court, Martinelli directed his darts at former Spanish judge Baltasar Garzón reports La Prensa.