Lottery boss sanctioned for ethics breaches

Gloriela del Río, the beleaguered director of the National Charity Lottery (LNB) who remains in office while three of her erstwhile staff face criminal investigation has been  fined 50% of her salary for “breaches of ethics,” reported the Transparency and Access to Information Authority (Antai).

The Antai had initiated an investigation in the LNB last July for irregularities in the return and payment of lottery ticket prizes, as well as the payment of the million-dollar zodiac prize.

According to Elsa Fernández, director of Antai, “the investigation detected a violation of the entity’s own procedures and a lack of oversight duty.”

Gloriela Del Río, who has remained silent in recent months after complaints of anomalies and after the apprehension of three former Lottery officials for the irregular collection of chances and winning tickets, earns a monthly salary of $3,500 and other representation expenses of $3,500 reports La Prensa.

Alejandra Bonilla González, former provincial director of Panama; Franklin De Gracia Domínguez, former Chief of Operations, and Yamilka Camarena Díaz, former Chief of Deliveries, were hired between July and October 2019, by Del Río. At the moment, they are all detained for the alleged commission of the crime of malicious embezzlement.

Despite the complaints, Del Río did not fire them at the time but just relocated them to other duties.

The director of Antai also reported that she sanctioned a cashier supervisor of the Colon LNB agency with a fine of 50% of the salary, for administrative irregularities that caused property damage in the amount of $8,960.