Call for lifting of immunity for Martinellis son

THE SON OF Panama’s former president Ricardo Martinelli Berrocal (2009-2014) is the latest family member to appear in the sights of anti-corruption prosecutors.

The fourth Anticorruption Prosecutor has submitted a request to lift the electoral criminal immunity of Ricardo Martinelli Linares
The information was confirmed Monday, April 20 by the Electoral Tribunal (TE). Martinelli Linares enjoys immunity because he served at a jury table in the general elections of May 2014.
The application is connected to an investigation that began after an anonymous tip linking the company Martinelli Linares to Global Investment Group, SA, operator of televised bingo Buko Millionaire.
The complaint was received in March and includes the former director of the Lottery, Omar Chen, Chan and Jacqueline Chan Watson, president of Global Investment Group, the company that won the award in the government of Martinelli Berrocal, a form of gambling that had not previously existed in Panama.
Martinelli Linares he is supposedly associated with the real estate San Cristóbal LTD, holding 55% of the shares of Global Investment Group.
As the shares are “bearer”, the real beneficiaries of Buko Millionaire are unknown.
Last year, the Gaming Control Board (JCJ) canceled the concession of televised bingo.
In nearly nine months of operation Buko Millionaire obtained gross revenues of $12.5 million