Spoils of alleged money laundering remain detained

A helicopter belonging to Luis Enrique Martinelli Linares, confiscated as part of the process for alleged money laundering related to the Odebrecht construction company will remain detained says an April 21 edict by Judge Baloisa Marquínez.

On March 31, 2017, the helicopter was seized in Tapachula, Mexico, following a request from the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office, which links its acquisition to the payment of bribes from Odebrecht. After being brought to Panama, the helicopter was placed in the custody of the Ministry of Economy and Finance and was guarded by the National Aeronaval Service (Senan).

The Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office investigates Luis Enrique and Ricardo Alberto Martinelli Linares, sons of former President Ricardo Martinelli, for allegedly receiving money from Odebrecht through Swiss banks, as bribes. The Public Ministry charged them with alleged money laundering.

Guatemala jail
The brothers remain detained in a military jail in Guatemala, after being captured in July 2020, following a petition from a United States court, which requires them for alleged conspiracy to launder money and hide information on money laundering. The prosecution warns that the assets linked to the charges are subject to confiscation if eventually the defendants are convicted.

In the case of Panama, the court ordered the detention of the aircraft until the completion of the Odebrecht case.

On April 12, the prosecution forwarded the conclusions (prosecutorial hearing) of the case to the Judicial Branch for its qualification. The document requests a trial for 50 people and the dismissal of another 29.

However, on Monday, April 19, the file had not yet physically reached the Third Settlement Court, since the Department of Single Entry Distribution, in charge of reviewing the folios that make up the file, found some errors in the order of the pages, so a process of verification of the numbering began.