Martinelli's son will be extradited to US next week

Luis Enrique  Linares the youngest of the two sons of former President Ricardo Martinelli (2009-2014) will be extradited from Guatemala to the United States on Monday, November 15 to face money-laundering charges.

His brother Ricardo Alberto Linares wanted on similar charges has yet to be given a date for his transfer

Ricardo Alberto and Luis Enrique face charges for the alleged conspiracy to launder bribes paid by Oderbrecht to Panamanian officials and politicians, through shell companies and bank accounts in the United States. The indictment is in the Eastern District Court of New York.

The two sons of the former president have been in the Mariscal Zavala military prison, after their capture, on July 6, 2020, at the La Aurora airport, when they were preparing to board a private flight to Panama.

The extradition of Luis Enrique was certified by the Fifth Court of Criminal Sentencing, Drug Trafficking, and Crimes against the Environment, in  May and ratified by the Court of Appeals in June. Ricardo Alberto’s, meanwhile, was certified on November 8, in another court (the Third Criminal Sentencing, Drug Trafficking, and Crimes against the Environment), during a hearing in which he requested to be handed over to the United States “as soon as possible ”.

In New York, the brothers face three charges: one for allegedly conspiring to launder money, and two for withholding information on money laundering, for acts allegedly committed between August 2009 and September 2015, which coincides with the presidential term of their father.

Luis Enrique faces two additional charges, for the alleged use of money obtained through money laundering.

The indictment says that the Martinelli Linares brothers participated in the receipt and payment of bribes for $28 million.

In Panama, the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office in the Odebrecht case also asked to prosecute the former president and his two children. The preliminary hearing will be held in July 2022.