Panama’s Former DGI Director Publio De Gracia is Sent to Tinajitas Prison.
Publio De Gracia was apprehended on August 10, 2026 and brought before a judge the following day.
Former Panama General Directorate of Revenue (DGI) Director Publio De Gracia was transferred to the Tinajitas Prison under provisional detention. He faces charges of unjustified enrichment and money laundering following a state audit revealing an estimated $724,682.39 patrimonial injury.
Case Background
- Arrest Date: August 10, 2026, during the coordinated Operation Cuestor.
- Origin: A 2025 audit report by the Comptroller General of the Republic indicating unverified asset growth.
- Tenure: De Gracia led the DGI tax authority from July 2019 to June 2024.
- Seizures: Authorities froze multiple bank accounts, three properties, and six high-end vehicles.
Legal Status of Associates
- Wife (Elaine Salteiro González) pictured above right: Implicated for alleged money laundering; received periodic reporting duties, travel restrictions, and a ban on contacting De Gracia.
- Partner (Ninoshka Madeleine Ríos) pictured above: Also linked and under investigation by anti-corruption prosecutors.
The former director of the General Directorate of Revenue (DGI), Publio De Gracia pictured below, charged with the alleged crimes of unjust enrichment and money laundering, was sent to the Tinajitas penitentiary. De Gracia, who was apprehended Monday, August 10, by agents of the Directorate of Judicial Investigation (DIJ) of the National Police, was taken to Tinajitas last Friday, once he was placed at the disposal of the Directorate of the Penitentiary System.
The former head of the DGI (General Directorate of Taxation), his wife, and a former advisor and partner have been linked to an investigation for alleged money laundering. Now the courts will have to determine the origin of the money, how it was moved, and what responsibility each individual bears.
The Tinajitas Detention Center
The Tinajitas Detention Center (Centro Penitenciario de Tinajitas) is a smaller correctional facility located in Panama City, Panama. It typically houses a few hundred inmates and operates under the national penitentiary system, dealing with general challenges of the country’s broader correctional infrastructure.
Facility Overview
- Capacity: Historically holds around 300 detainees.
- Location: Situated in the Panama City region, functioning alongside other primary facilities like La Joya and El Renacer.
- Conditions & Oversight: Managed by civilian custodians under the oversight of Panama’s Directorate General of the Penitentiary System, subject to periodic government supply distributions and institutional reviews.
Programs and Activities
- Rehabilitation: Like other units in the national system, Tinajitas occasionally facilitates internal religious, educational, or vocational programs aimed at inmate participation and personal reflection.
- Cultural Events: The facility has gained local media attention for community and religious activities organized by inmates, such as annual Holy Week and Passion of Christ dramatizations.
