Embezzler gets back mansion, yacht Porsche
A NEAR $1million mansion in Costa del Este; a Porsche Cayenne; an apartment in Punta Pacifica and another in a San Carlos Spa; two Toyota trucks, a yacht and 0ver $100.000 spread in five bank accounts are some of the “possessions” that will be returned to a felon convicted of embezzling and laundering scores of millions.
The laundered money came from a government assistance program under the direction of Rafael Guardia Jaén, and his “possessions” and luxury lifestyle are being returned to him courtesy of what anticorruption prosecutors call an “incomprehensible” decision by fifteenth criminal Judge Leslie Loaiza, at a hearing held on Wednesday, December 13.
the Office of the Prosecutor has already announced that it will submit a written appeal on the grounds that the judge acted, “without having a basic evidentiary support” that accredited that said goods were obtained “in a lawful way, ” reports La Prensa
The appeal – which must be resolved by the Second Superior Court – suspends, for now, the return of the goods to the former official.
Meanwhile, the defense lawyer wants his client to serve his wrist-slap 5-year sentence under house arrest, with lots of room in his mansion to entertain and manage his affairs, and enough money in his bank accounts to pay the water and electricity bills for a few months.
Those unable to afford silver-tongued advocates, or to grease the wheels of justice have a harder time. Newsroom has recorded a cooperative employee sent to La Joya for six years for stealing $5,000.
