2 People Have Already Been Sentenced in the Panama Tax Credit Scandal: DGI and Operation Pandora
The Specialized Prosecutor’s Office against Organized Crime carried out a series of investigations to locate alleged front men for this criminal network.
As of July 2026, Operation Pandora is an ongoing criminal investigation into a $40 million tax fraud scheme within Panama’s General Directorate of Revenue (DGI), rather than a concluded case with finalized sentencings. Courts have ordered provisional detentions for multiple suspects, but formal trials and sentencings are still pending.
The Investigation Details
- The Scheme: Officials, lawyers, and private advisors allegedly manipulated the digital E-Tax 2.0 system to erase tax debts and create false tax credits.
- The Financial Loss: An internal audit found over $36 million in illegitimate credits used by entities such as BAC International Bank (Panamá).
- The Legal Status: Over 16 individuals have been arrested and hit with provisional detention orders while prosecutors continue gathering evidence.
Two people charged with participating in the network that manipulated the e-Tax 2.0 system and appropriated tax credits have admitted their participation in the crime and reached plea agreements of 48 months in prison each. Sources connected to the investigation revealed that Alfredo Murillo Pimentel and Karina Suárez have already signed cooperation agreements, with prison sentences for both, although one of them has had their sentence replaced with a fine. It was not specified whether this refers to Murillo or Suárez.
