Two Arrested for Multimillion-Dollar Embezzlement: Miviot Case
A former official and a private citizen were arrested for their alleged involvement in the embezzlement of more than $1.4 million from the Ministry of Housing.
Two people were apprehended during search and seizure operations carried out in the district of San Miguelito, as part of Operation ‘Istmo 2.0’, led by the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office of Panama with the support of the National Police of Panama. During the operation, a former official of the Belisario Porras Community Board and a private individual were arrested, who are wanted for the crimes of embezzlement and against public trust to the detriment of the Ministry of Housing and Territorial Planning (Miviot).
According to authorities, the investigation determined an economic loss to the State exceeding $1.4 million, related to alleged irregularities in the handling of funds intended for social support programs. The proceedings took place in areas such as Brisas del Golf and Samaria, in San Miguelito, where the two people linked to the investigation were apprehended. The case dates back to June 1, 2023, when an investigation was launched after 36 checks belonging to Miviot and $20,000 in cash were found inside a vehicle.
The Public Prosecutor’s investigations also determined that some beneficiaries of these checks simultaneously held employment contracts with public institutions and private companies. Authorities indicated that those arrested were linked to these events as alleged accomplices in the crimes under investigation. This action corresponds to the second phase of Operation ‘Isthmus’, since in May 2025 a first stage was carried out in which 14 people were apprehended in the district of San Miguelito, who later faced hearings for crimes against public administration. Those apprehended in this new phase were placed under the orders of the judicial authorities for the corresponding procedures.
