11 indicted in multi-million-dollar sports scam
The anti-corruption prosecutor Leyda Saénz presented before the judicial office of the Accusatory Criminal System of the First Judicial District (SPA) an indictment against 11 people for alleged embezzlement and money laundering through the management of funds assigned to federations sports of the Panamanian Institute of Sports (Pandeportes)
The investigation began on October 30, 2018, as a result of a report by L a Prensa , which reported a series of irregularities in the management of funds and delivery of sports equipment by various sports federations and organizations.
In the indictment, charges were filed against the former deputy of the Panameñista Party, Adolfo Valderrama , accused of money laundering, and the former directors of the Pandeportes Roberto Arango and Mario Pérez were charged for the crime of embezzlement . Embezzlement charges embezzlement charges were also laid against the former manager of the Baseball Federation, Aníbal Reluz, and the president of the Basketball Federation, Jair Peralta.
Other defendants are the former deputy of the Democratic Revolutionary Party , Jaime Pedrol, Jorge Luis Dutary, Ana Virginia Tejada, Beatriz Mercedez Herrera, Ulrich Raúl Ronner Araúz and César Ramsés Tejada.
According to a report from the Comptroller, between the years 2014-and 2018, $59.9 million was delivered between 133 disciplines, foundations, and sports leagues.
