A Lawyer from Chiriquí Involved in the DGI Network was Taken to the Arraignment Hearing

One of the alleged ringleaders of the network of officials and private individuals who operated from the General Directorate of Revenue (DGI), lawyer José Miguel Jurado Rovira, is currently facing an indictment hearing.  The First Prosecutor’s Office against Organized Crime will request the validation of the charges and the application of precautionary measures after linking him to the investigations in a fraud scheme of more than 42 million dollars.  Jurado Rovira, along with the 16 people arrested during Operation Pandora on July 8, could be charged with conspiracy to commit crimes, corruption of public officials, crimes against public trust, and money laundering.

Of these initial 16 individuals, 13 are in pretrial detention and the other 3 remain under house arrest.  The hearing is currently underway.  The latter suspect surrendered voluntarily yesterday, Thursday, and is listed as the legal representative of Servicios de Asesoría y Administración Jurado, one of the companies mentioned in the investigation being carried out by the Public Ministry for the alleged network that manipulated tax records in the DGI’s E-Tax 2.0 system.  According to the Prosecutor’s investigation, the company allegedly acted as one of the intermediary companies used to transfer fraudulent tax credits to the final beneficiaries. 

According to the investigation, the structure was DGI officials, lawyers, intermediaries and companies that played different roles within the scheme.  The group allegedly altered taxpayer records of those who had made payments through the E-Tax system, deleting that information and fraudulently appropriated the funds. These amounts were then converted into tax credits and transferred to shell companies.  Acting as intermediaries, they ultimately sold them to banks like BAC and other buyers.

The ABP Defends the Legality of Tax Credits and Calls for Rigorous Investigations

The Panama Banking Association (ABP) stated this Friday in a press release that tax credits are legal and commonly used tax instruments, amid the investigation being carried out by the Public Prosecutor’s Office.  The ABP asserted that tax credits are created, administered, and certified by the DGI itself before they are used by companies or enter into commercial exchange, and therefore considered it essential to clarify any irregularities detected in that process .

“Clearing up any doubts about the institutional framework and traceability of these certificates is vital to protecting the legal security of those who transact with these instruments,” the ABP stated.

The statement comes amid ongoing investigations by the First Specialized Prosecutor’s Office against Organized Crime into this network. The Banking Association maintained that the Panamanian banking system operates under a regulated and supervised framework and that financial institutions “maintain ongoing due diligence controls.”  Furthermore, he reiterated that any event that could compromise the integrity of the fiscal and financial system must be rigorously investigated in accordance with the law, respecting due process and the presumption of innocence.

Lawyer José Miguel Jurado Rovira was brought to a multi-day arraignment hearing in Panama’s Plaza Agora as part of “Operation Pandora,” an investigation into a $40 million tax credit and corruption network operating within the Dirección General de Ingresos (DGI).   He is one of several individuals—including lawyers, private fixers, and public officials—suspected of manipulating the DGI’s E-Tax system to delete tax debts and generate fraudulent fiscal credits. Here are the critical details of the case:

• The Operation: “Operation Pandora” uncovered a criminal network that diverted and manipulated tax funds at the expense of the Panamanian state treasury.

• The Scheme: Suspects are alleged to have engaged in organized crime, money laundering, public corruption, and document falsification. 

• Legal Rulings: At the conclusion of the initial hearings, a guarantees judge ordered provisional detention for 12 of the defendants, while others were placed under alternative measures such as house arrest. 

Lawyer José Miguel Jurado Rovira, one of those investigated for his alleged participation in the corruption scheme detected in the General Directorate of Revenue (DGI) through Operation Pandora, was taken to the courtrooms of the First Judicial District, this Friday, July 17, 2026.  The hearing before a judge was scheduled for 11:00 am. The Specialized Prosecutor’s Office against Organized Crime will request the formal charges and the adoption of personal precautionary measures.