Richard Fifer nabbed in Costa Rica, begins 10-year Panama sentence

Richard Fifer, the former governor of Coclé province, , was transferred Sunday morning, January 7, to a detention center in Panama City, after being arrested  Saturday, in the Paso Canoas area by agents of the National Border Service (Senafront), in collaboration with the Costa Rican Police.

Fifer’s transfer began on Sunday morning to a detention center in Panama City, which was not specified, to later be placed at the disposal of the Directorate of the Penitentiary System toserve a sentence of 120 months in prison for the crime of aggravated fraud against the company Red Dragon Capital Management.

Fifer’s capture occurred 50 kilometers from the Costa Rican side at a police checkpoint, when he was driving an Audi-type car in which three other people were traveling.

At the time of his arrest, the former governor presented a US passport and objected to being verified by the Panamanian authorities, arguing that he was a citizen of the United States, it was announced at a press conference held this Sunday at the Province of chiriqui.

During the review carried out by the Costa Rican authorities, it was detected that Fifer’s passport did not have the Panama exit stamp, so he was sent to the Panamanian authorities.

The latter detected that there was an arrest warrant against them for a conviction related to the crime of fraud.

Fifer must face  trial on January 24 for evasion of payment of worker-employer fees.