Colombia

BRAZIL: Weapons Galore; Pay Raises Cause Outrage; CHILE: Never Convicted, Pinochet Dies; COLOMBIA: Colombia to Receive Orejuela's Money; INTERNATIONAL: Bribes the rule; MEXICO: Oaxaca still a mess; Drug Money, Impossible to Uproot; NICARAGUA: New Government Already in Motion; PERU: Worrying Signals; Fujimori's Money in Bank of Tokyo; and REGIONAL: A few families control all.

Article based on an application for an order appointing a Commissioner to collect evidence for a criminal investigation into alleged embezzlement - pursuant to a request for judicial assistance from Colombia - that was filed at federal court in the USA on December 20, 2007. Individuals and businesses mentioned in the request for assistance include Pedro Pablo Martinez Serrano, Bank of America, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria Bank, and Gerardo Remolina Vargas.

Application for the appointment of a Commissioner to collect evidence for a criminal investigation in Colombia into Pedro Pablo Martinez Serrano for suspected embezzlement while serving as Financial Director of Pontificia Universidad Javeriana.

BRAZIL: Investigating Swiss Banks; CHILE: First Money Launderer in Prison; COLOMBIA: Parapolitics in Action; GUATEMALA:New President; MEXICO: Arellano Félix Sentenced to Life; Friction over Merida Initiative; The Mexican Connection in the Wachovia and Harris banks Case; PERU: 30 Years for Fujimori?; REGIONAL: ‘Specially Designated' Latin Americans; and VENEZUELA: Seedy Diamonds.

BRAZIL Fight against drugs controversy Brazil is involved an increasingly angry debate about the role of the security forces as they fight against drug trafficking mafias in shanty towns. The government decided to leave this fight in the army's hands

Application for the appointment of a Commissioner to collect evidence - pursuant to a request for judicial assistance from Colombia - for a criminal investigation into Ines Lara Rueda de Poch for alleged fraud.

COLOMBIANarco arrested Diego León Montoya Sánchez, one of the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives, has been arrested by Colombian authorities near Zarzal in the Colombian state of Valle del Cauca. Montoya has been on the FBI's “Ten Most Wanted” list

Application for the appointment of a Commissioner to collect evidence for a criminal investigation in Spain into Maria Luisa Vizcaino Bascones, Pablo Sanchez Garcia, Benito Rosal Labato, Javier Sanclemente Castrillon, Alfonso Duran del Castillo, Gonzalo Cantarela del Castillo, Antonio Miranda Rojas and Javier Miranda Burgos into alleged narcotics trafficking and money laundering.

Application for the appointment of a Commissioner to collect evidence for a criminal investigation in the Netherlands Antilles into Maher Ayoub and his brother, Samer Ayoub, for alleged narcotics trafficking and money laundering.

ARGENTINA & VENEZUELAThe mystery of the Venezuelan suitcases The scandal over the arrival to Argentina of a Venezuelan businessman carrying $800,000 in undeclared cash on a government hired jet has had its first victims. Claudio Uberti, the head of the

ARGENTINA: New Law to Include Terrorism; BRAZIL, COLOMBIA & PANAMA: More Soccer Players in Trouble; CHILE: Attempt to Reinforce Anti Money Laundering Legislation; COLOMBIA: Dollars Galore; Regulate yourself!; Creative Ways to Launder Money; MEXICO: Up in Arms; and PERU: Hope for Extradition.

BOLIVIA & VENEZUELA Bolivia and Venezuela shrug their shoulders Bolivia and Venezuela have shrugged off a U. S. State Department's annual report on global drug trafficking that criticizes them. In the report, Venezuela is singled out as an increasing menace.

ARGENTINA: Another look at real estate; BRAZIL: Violence in the Favelas; COLOMBIA: One Araújo replaces another; EL SALVADOR: The “other” transport taxes; GUATEMALA: Murder, corruption and politics; HONDURAS: New transparency law unsatisfactory; REGIONAL: Fine for Miami bank; The bank serves mainly the South of Florida, Central America and the Caribbean; and VENEZUELA: Poverty in wealthy countries.

Article based on an application for an order appointing a Commissioner to collect evidence for a criminal investigation into alleged fraud - pursuant to a request for judicial assistance from Colombia - that was filed at federal court in the USA on December 4, 2006. Individuals and businesses mentioned in the request for assistance include American Bankers Insurance Group, Josue Gomez Lopez, David Salomon Gomez Lopez, and Claudia Nelly Astrid Rojas Mora.

Application for the appointment of a Commissioner to collect evidence for a criminal investigation in Colombia into Josue Gomez Lopez for fraud regarding the estate of his brother, Salomon Gomez Lopez.

ARGENTINA New anti terrorism law Under pressure from the United States, Argentina is about to pass a law that will punish the funding of terrorist activities. Until now, Argentina did not have laws specifically combating terrorism funding. The Argentinean Congress

Application for the appointment of a Commissioner to collect evidence for a criminal investigation in the United Kingdom into Trevor William Rowell, Wendy Ruth Rowell and Jamie Moses for alleged distribution of child pornography.

BRAZIL Complicated campaignIt looked like an easy first round victory for President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva until Brazil's election campaign was shaken by a convoluted corruption scandal. The president's party, the Workers Party (known as PT), has been accused

BRAZIL New intelligence unit Brazil's Foreign Ministry officially announced the creation of an intelligence center, in cooperation with Argentina and Paraguay, located in Foz do Iguacu - in the so called tri border region - to combat money laundering and

CHILE: The Arms-Laundering Connection; COLOMBIA: Updated Black List; INTERNATIONAL: International Cooperation Facilitates Capture; PANAMA: Towards Expansion?; and PERU: García Wins; and New Tools to Fight against Laundering.

COLOMBIA: Uribe set for win;; Arrested for Money Laundering; MEXICO: Laundering Couple Trapped; NICARAGUA: Efforts to Repatriate Alemán's Assets Continue; PANAMA: Prestigious Law Firm Involved in Pinochet Scandal; and PARAGUAY: Saving Cooperatives under Scrutiny.

Application for the appointment of a Commissioner to collect evidence for a criminal investigation in the United Kingdom into alleged narcotics trafficking and money laundering involving Alan Harris and others.

ARGENTINA & OTHERS Efforts to regulate remittances markets…The Argentinean Central Bank is examining a plan to toughen the regulation of the remittances market in order to prevent money laundering. Remittances to Argentina rose almost eightfold, from $100 billion in 2001

Article based on an application to collect evidence for a criminal investigation into murder - pursuant to a request for judicial assistance from Colombia - that was filed at the U. S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia on March 9, 2006.

ARGENTINA: Towards the End Of a Tragedy; BOLIVIA: Agrarian Reform; COLOMBIA: More Requirements for PEP Accounts; From Legislative to Presidential Elections; REGIONAL: Pre-paid Cards Under ScrutinY; MEXICO: Corruption and Water; Extraditing Informant; PANAMA: News from Noriega; VENEZUELA: Agrarian Reform Gone Sour.

Application for the appointment of a Commissioner to collect evidence for a criminal investigation in Colombia into retired Colonel Bernardo Ruiz Silva and Colonel Jose Guillermo Rubio Vargas for suspected involvement in the murders of Colombian attorney, journalist and politician Alvaro Gomez Hurtado and his assistant, Jose Del Cristo Huertas Hastamorir.

ARGENTINA: New Anti-Money Laundering unit; BRAZIL: PineBank under Scrutiny in Miami; CHILE: More controls over casinos; COLOMBIA: Businessman accused of money laundering; Rodríguez Orejuela's son in trouble; DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: The Anti-Laundering Unit fever goes on; GUATEMALA: US to help in anti-laundering efforts; INTERNATIONAL: New guidelines for correspondent banks; REGIONAL: In the footsteps of their fathers; and PERU: Laundered money is about $550 Million.

CHILE: Pinochle's Family Implicated; COLOMBIA: New Rules to Avoid Laundering; INTERNATIONAL: Correspondent Banking On the Spot (Again); PARAGUAY: The Dubious Honor of Being “Debarred”; PERU; Money Laundering and the Presidential Election Campaign; and VENEZUELA: New Regulation for the Stock Exchange

Article based on an application to collect evidence for a criminal investigation into alleged money laundering - pursuant to a request for judicial assistance from Colombia - that was filed at federal court in the USA on November 30, 2005. Individuals and businesses mentioned in the request for assistance include John Horacio Rueda Polania, Raphael Samuel Adouth, Lourdes Meulener Challiol,  Rosenthal Jewelers Supply Corp., Rosenthall, LLC, Metalor, Republic Metals Corp., Ricardo Coral, Jesus Armando Franco, Julian Octavio Franco Gonzalez, Julio Lopez, Carlos Mantilla, Juan Carlos Rios Mendoza, Carlos Monsalve, Andres Avelino Nunez, Alfonso A. Pinzon, Jose F. Rangle, Javier E. Rincon, Jorge A. Rincon, Jorge Enrique Rincon, Juan Carlos Rincon, William Polania Rueda, William Sanabria Saldana, Mario Esteban Zurek, and Sonia Oyaga.  

Article based on an application to collect evidence into alleged corruption - pursuant to a request for judicial assistance from Colombia - that was filed at federal court in the USA on October 31, 2005. Individuals and businesses mentioned in the request for assistance include Nubia Elena Lemus Torres, William Nicolas Saade Vergel, and Republic National Bank.

Application for the appointment of a Commissioner to collect evidence for a criminal investigation in Colombia into Rosenthal Jewelers Supply Corporation for allegedly laundering the proceeds of narcotics trafficking. Investigators sought details of any transactions concerning the buying and selling of gold by John Horacio Rueda Polania, Ricardo Coral, Jesus Armando Franco Gonzalez, Julian Octavio Franco Gonzalez, Juan Lopez, Carlos Mantilla, Carlos Monsalve, Andres Avelino Nunez, Alfonso Pinzon, Jose Rangle, Javier Rincon, Jorge Rincon, Jorge Enrique Rincon, Juan Carlos Rincon, William Polania Rueda, William Sanabria Saldana, Mario Esteban Zurek and Sonia Oyaga.

Application for the appointment of a Commissioner to collect evidence for a criminal investigation in Colombia into Nubia Elena Lemus Torres and William Nicolas Saade Vergel for alleged illicit enrichment.

A 76 year old Palestinian has been arrested in Florida after a complaint for his extradition was filed on behalf of the authorities in Colombia. Details are contained in an extradition complaint that was filed against Sarkis Garabet Soghanalian at

Article based on an application for the appointment of a Commissioner to collect evidence for a criminal investigation into alleged fraud, money laundering, and narcotics trafficking - pursuant to a request for judicial assistance from Colombia - that was filed at federal court in the USA on July 27, 2005. Individuals and businesses mentioned in the request for assistance include Luis Onofre Redondo Nino, Llanos Oil Exploration, Intertextil Intertuna, GlobalNet USA Corp., GlobalNet Ltda., Banco Popular, and Maria del Pilar Pulido Alvarez.

Application for the appointment of a Commissioner for a criminal investigation in Panama into Luis Carlos Herrera Lizcano and others for alleged narcotics trafficking and money laundering.

Application for the appointment of a Commissioner to collect evidence for a criminal investigation in Colombia into Luis Onofre Redondo Nino for suspected fraud involving Florida-domiciled GlobalNet USA Corp.

Application for the appointment of a Commissioner to collect evidence for a criminal investigation in the United Kingdom for suspected money laundering by Tania Castaneda Dominguez and others.

ARGENTINA: Cavallo, Again; COLOMBIA: Money Laundering Increasing; Disarticulated Laundering Network; HONDURAS: Another Twist in Bancorp's Tale; LATIN AMERICA: Justice, Maybe; MEXICO: Free Salinas?; and PERU: Banco Wiese report.

Article based on an application to collect evidence for a criminal investigation into alleged money laundering - pursuant to a request for judicial assistance from Colombia - that was filed at federal court in the USA on May 25, 2005. Individuals and businesses mentioned in the request for assistance include Llanos Oil Exploration Ltda., Intertextil Intertuna, CI Flora Andina Ltda., CI Transglobal Intertrans, S .A., CI Intertextil, S.A., Servicios Petroleros del Caribe Ltds., Intertuna S.A., Maria Clara Jaramillo Soto, Cristian Hernando Ayalde Ocana, Jose Vicente Lozano Reyes, Hendrick Van Bilderbeerk Soto, Houston Chamber of Commerce, and Helm Bank.

Application for the appointment of a Commissioner to collect evidence for a criminal investigation in Colombia into Albert Van Bilderbeek Soto, Maria Clara Jaramillo Soto, Christian Hernando Ayalde Ocana, CI Flora Andina Ltda., Servicios Petroleros del Caribe, Llanos Oil Exploration Ltda., CI Transglobal Intertrans, SA, CI Intertextil, SA and others for suspected involvement in narcotics trafficking and money laundering.

Application for the appointment of a Commissioner to collect evidence - pursuant to a request for judicial assistance - for a criminal investigation into Luis Orlando Castilla Prieto for alleged narcotics trafficking.

CHILE: Money Laundering in Post-Pinochet Times; COLOMBIA: Uribe On the Spot; COSTA RICA: Lucky Calderón Under House Arrest; MEXICO: New Developments in Casablanca Operation; URUGUAY: No Sentence For the Peirano Brothers, Yet; VENEZUELA: Phony Numbers At the Forex Counter.

CHILE: Pinochet Says He Wants to Pay; COLOMBIA: Corruption Costs; INTERNATIONAL: An Evil Eye Opens Up Again; Banking Blues; and MEXICO: Salinas Again.

ARGENTINA: Purge in Prison; CHILE: Pinochet Investigation Becomes Global; COLOMBIA: "Let Politicians Tremble"; and PERU: Lost Millions Recovered.

ARGENTINA: He Came Back for Christmas; BRAZIL: Banking Scandal; CHILE: "Pinochecks" Pay Back; COLOMBIA: Rodríguez Orejuela Faces Charges in the U. S.; ECUADOR: Money from Colombia?; GUATEMALA: No Visa for Military Men; LATIN AMERICA: More Corruption is expected in 2005; and PANAMA: Fraudulent Loans.

Various recently-filed extradition requests from around the world.

Application for the appointment of a Commissioner to collect evidence for a criminal investigation in Spain into Domingo Tarruella Dalmau for alleged money laundering.

Application for the appointment of a Commissioner to collect evidence for a criminal investigation in Peru f Marco Antonio Cardenas Minaya, Juan Vidaurre Beltran, Ocean Services SAC, Naviera Ocean SAC, Ocean Lines SAC and Pesquera Ocean Fish SAC for alleged narcotics trafficking and money laundering.

ARGENTINAIs he coming back? There is a lot of talk in Argentina about whether former president Carlos Menem is about to return from Chile or not. Former Senator Héctor María Maya, now one of his lawyers, announced recently that he

Article based on an application for the appointment of a Commissioner to collect evidence for a criminal investigation into murder - pursuant to a request for judicial assistance from Colombia - that was filed at federal court in the USA on September 22, 2004. Individuals mentioned in the request for assistance include Sandra Lucrecia Daniels-Guzman, Sergio Alonso Arango Mejia, Carlos German Lozano Acosta, Ana Maria Medina Zambrano, Pedro Antonio Lopez Soto, Jose Salvador Jimenez Ornero, Daniel Saldana Gonzalez, and William Saldana Gonzalez.