A Panamanian court has found former President Ricardo Martinelli guilty of money laundering, judicial authorities said Tuesday, which could threaten the politician’s bid to run for the presidency next year.
The court also imposed a $19.2 million fine on Martinelli, according to a statement by judicial authorities.
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Maximiliano Davila-Perez, Former Head Of Bolivian Anti-Narcotics Agency, Extradited To The United States From Bolivia On Cocaine Importation And Firearms Charges
United States Attorney Office -Southern District of New York
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, Maximiliano Davila-Perez abused his position as the head of Bolivia’s anti-narcotics law enforcement agency to instead aid the very narcotics traffickers he was entrusted to investigate and arrest. Along the way, he sought to use Bolivian law enforcement officers to guard and transport cocaine shipments and participate in the shipment of massive quantities of cocaine. While this conduct is abhorrent, it is sadly not shocking; instead, this is the latest example of our work with the DEA’s Special Operations Division in rooting out this type of cocaine-fueled corruption around the globe. Let this be another loud message to those who would abuse their positions to send ton-quantities of cocaine to the United States: our reach is global, our memory is long, and we will not allow you to continue to flood our country with cocaine without punishment. I commend the work of the career prosecutors of this Office, who have investigated and prosecuted these cases alongside the Special Operations Division for years and will continue to do so for as long as remains necessary.”
OLAF and EUIPO Join Forces in Fight against Fake Construction Materials
OLAF
On 11-12 December, the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) and the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) co-organised a two-day conference titled “Building on Lies: The Fight against Fake Construction Materials and Equipment”. Held at EUIPO premises in Alicante, Spain, the event brought together around 50 participants from customs, police, market surveillance authorities, international organisations and industry stakeholders across EU member states and beyond.
796 arrests in massive EU action against organised crime
Europol
Law enforcement authorities from all across the continent came together for the EMPACT Joint Action Day South East Europe (JAD SEE) 2024. From a coordination centre set up in Sarajevo, colleagues from 26 countries took decisive action against key criminal threats in the region. The JAD SEE 2024 saw the joint capacities and resources of the European Union and its international partners target multiple criminal threats, including trafficking in human beings, migrant smuggling, drug and illegal firearms trafficking, and the fight against high-risk criminal networks. 796 individuals were arrested, 316 investigations initiated and 442 weapons seized as a result of the massive operation, which involved 31 109 officers.