Arrested for Alleged Enrichment and Money Laundering is Former Revenue Director Publio De Gracia.

Former Director of Panama’s General Directorate of Revenue (DGI) Publio De Gracia was arrested on August 10, 2026, during Operation Cuestor. Authorities detained him and another person for alleged unjustified enrichment and money laundering, citing an estimated financial loss to the state of $724,682.39 stemming from a 2025 comptroller audit.

Case Details & Seizures

• Arrest Date: August 10, 2026.

• Agencies Involved: Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office and the National Police.

• Estimated Loss: $724,682.39.

• Assets Confiscated or Seized: 3 real estate properties, 6 high-end vehicles including Toyota Prado, Lexus and BMWs, and 4 bank accounts were also ordered seized.

Investigation Context

• Origin: The probe follows audit reports from the Comptroller General of the Republic highlighting an unjustified increase in personal assets.

• Distinction: Judicial authorities noted that this current asset-enrichment case operates separately from ongoing inquiries into past tax-credit manipulations within the DGI’s e-Tax 2.0 system.

The former Director General of Revenue, Publio De Gracia (2019-2024), was arrested this Monday, August 10, as part of an investigation for alleged unjustified enrichment and money laundering.  A woman was arrested along with De Gracia. Both were located in an apartment building early in the morning. The building was searched as part of the investigation.  De Gracia and his companion left the scene in handcuffs and escorted by agents of the Attorney General’s Office and the National Directorate of Police Intelligence (DNIP).  This case originates from a 2025 audit report, prepared by the Comptroller General of the Republic, which calculated a patrimonial loss of $724,682.