Panama Suspects Arrested for Tax Fraud and Embezzlement to the Detriment of CONADES
The person pictured below is one of those arrested. The Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office and the Directorate of Judicial Investigation carried out several operations in Pueblo Nuevo, Panama, and Las Uvas de San Carlos, Panama Oeste.
Two operations carried out by the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office and the National Police resulted in the arrest of two people: one allegedly involved in a case of embezzlement against the General Directorate of Revenue (DGI) for an amount of $500,000, and another linked to an alleged embezzlement against the National Council for Sustainable Development (CONADES), for the sum of $174,601. In this investigation, the Prosecutor’s Office determined that several people conspired to defraud the DGI by granting fraudulent tax credits, which were subsequently transferred to different companies. The Consejo Nacional para el Desarrollo Sostenible (CONADES) is a Panamanian state agency under the Ministry of the Presidency, created in 1996 to plan and execute social development projects, focusing heavily on water, sanitation, and community infrastructure to improve quality of life. It works to bridge social inequality, often collaborating with local governments to deliver potable water and sanitation.
Key Areas of Focus & Action
- Water and Sanitation: Conades is primary in managing potable water systems, sewage rehabilitation, and implementing water projects in provinces, often in conjunction with IDAAN.
- Infrastructure: Key projects include the construction of water tanks, such as the North Hydraulic Ring (Anillo Hidráulico Norte) and East Hydraulic Ring projects designed to benefit hundreds of thousands of residents.
- Recuperando Mi Barrio: A key program aimed at rehabilitating buildings and improving community spaces, particularly in areas like Colón.
- Social Development: Works on constructing pedestrian bridges and improving community infrastructure for security and connectivity.
Operational Role
- Coordinating Entity: Connects national efforts with local needs, having attended to hundreds of community representatives and mayors across Panama.
- Funding and Execution: Manages projects funded by international organizations like the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and local funds, supporting rural and urban development.
CONADES works directly with local communities to implement, manage, and sustain public investments.
