Ecuador

Article based on an application to collect evidence for a criminal investigation into alleged narcoticcs trafficking - pursuant to a request for judicial assistance from Ecuador - that was filed at federal court in the USA on June 29, 2007. Businesses mentioned in the request for assistance include United Bank of Switzerland and Savoy Brands International.

Application for the appointment of a Commissioner to collect evidence for a criminal investigation in Ecuador into suspected narcotics trafficking involving Savoy Brands International.

ARGENTINA: Diego Maradona a money launderer?; Banco de la Nación in trouble; BRAZIL: Embarrassment at the National Lottery; ECUADOR: Institutional Crisis; THE TRIPLE FRONTIER: A Mystery Kidnapping; PERU: Money-launderers Free to Go; Yesterday Accused, Today In Power.

Application for the appointment of a Commissioner to collect evidence for a criminal investigation in Ecuador into Victor Joaquin Cedeno Alvarez for allegedly defrauding Gonzalo Rodrigo Macias.

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

Ecuador is seeking the extradition of Carlos Florencio Flores Andrade to stand trial for alleged embezzlement.Details are contained in an extradition complaint that was filed at the U. S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida on June 23, 2005.

Application for the appointment of a Commissioner to collect evidence for a criminal investigation in Ecuador into Jairo Zambrano Gonzalez for the alleged rape of a minor.

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.

COSTA RICADisgraceThe head of the Organization of American States, Miguel Ángel Rodríguez, was detained and put under house arrest following his resignation just two weeks after starting the job on October 15th. He has been accused of taking a bribe

Application for the appointment of a Commissioner to collect evidence for a criminal investigation in Ukraine into alleged tax fraud involving Chernovy Shovten Private Enterprise.

CHILE: The General's Mysterious Fortune; ECUADOR: Supervising the Bank Trials; EL SALVADOR: The Money Ended Up in the Bankers' Hands; GUATEMALA: Portillo Finds a Job in Mexico; and PARAGUAY: The Paraguayan Quagmire.

CENTRAL AMERICA: Gang on Trial; CHILE: Riggs Case Prompts an Investigation; COSTA RICA: Bank Busted; ECUADOR: Filanbanco's Twisted Trail; GUATEMALA: Portillo's Associate on the Line; and MEXICO: Construction Blues.

ECUADOR: All Against Corruption?; INTERNATIONAL: The Riggs Bank Scandal; PARAGUAY: The return of the President; A 'No Trial' for Banco Oriental; and PERU: Something is Brewing; Americans Banned from AeroContinente.

ARGENTINA: Menem 'suffering' in exile; Carrousel of bank executives accused; BOLIVIA: Two more bank employees in the dungeon; COLOMBIA: Trust us, we're the Police; PARAGUAY: González Macchi's process grows; Journalists and presidential pressure; and REGIONAL: Latin American presidents: A catalogue of abuse.

Application for the appointment of a Commissioner to collect evidence for a criminal investigation in the Netherlands into Jonathan Abernathy, Jeffrey Scott Grueninger, Petrus Leonardus Franciscus Tervoort, Cornelis Hendrik De Jongh, Robert Christiaan Schutte and Krishnedath Mangal for suspected narcotics trafficking.

COLOMBIA: Flowers and drugs; ECUADOR: Investigation into campaign; HONDURAS: Order to arrest bankers; NICARAGUA: Alemán money laundering conviction; REGIONAL: All except for Honduras; The most corrupt; and PARAGUAY: Sacked from the Supreme Court.

ARGENTINA More incriminating data against MenemFormer Iranian spy Abolghasem Mesbahi confirmed from Berlin in a videotaped interview at the AMIA trial taking place in Buenos Aires that an alleged envoy sent by Carlos Menem requested $10 million in exchange for

COSTA RICAMoney laundering on the rise A report by the Drug Enforcement Administration identifies an increase in Costa Rica's vulnerability to money laundering. According to the report, the real estate sector has become one of the favorite ways of laundering

ARGENTINA: Circle around Menem narrower; COSTA RICA: Costa Rica becoming popular; ECUADOR: No foreign holidays for Noboa; MEXICO: Pressure mounts over big banks; NICARAGUA: Alemán in prison: PANAMA: Marc Harris' friends in Panama in trouble?; and PARAGUAY: González Macchi ordered to stay put.

ARGENTINA Switzerland to investigate Menem's bank accountsSwiss judge Christine Junod will investigate whether beleaguered former president Carlos Menem had money in the country's banking system. Until now, Menem has escaped prosecution in spite of the fact that he has been

ARGENTINA The bankers' parade Michael Smith, of HSBC, declared before judge Claudio Bonadío that bribes were somewhat customary in Argentina. Smith—a British citizen who has been only months in the South American country—was testifying in a new case of alleged

Application for the appointment of a Commissioner to collect evidence for a criminal investigation in Ecuador into Roberto Isaias Dassun, Daniel Eduardo Rodriguez Galarza and others regarding suspected fraud and corruption involving Filanbanco SA.

Application for the appointment of a Commissioner to collect evidence for a criminal investigation in Colombia into Guillermo Ortiz Gaitan and members of his family for suspected illegal enrichment, narcotics trafficking and money laundering.

COSTA RICA: List of 15 alleged recipients of bribes causes outrage; ECUADOR: Finance Ministry's officials to be arrested; Arms trafficking and Corruption; EL SALVADOR: Investigation of a state company's sale; HONDURAS: INTERFINSA's founder arrested; Another "black list"; MEXICO: US Banker falls in Mexican crackdown; Mexicans take over cocaine business; NICARAGUA: Tangled money; PANAMA: Panama investigates illegal money linked to Nicaragua; PARAGUAY: Bancosur's executives convicted; and URUGUAY: Rohms' dealings in Uruguay; The downfall of "Uruguay's owners"; Banking system in bad shape.

ARGENTINA: BGN fiasco unfolds; COLOMBIA: Perception of corruption increases; ECUADOR: Failure in international bid; GUATEMALA: New regulations in Guatemala; "Twin  banks" investigated since 1996; MEXICO: The honeymoon is over in Mexico; NICARAGUA: $2 million lost in Nicaragua; The high life of a president; …And Taiwan wants its money back; and PANAMA: Welcome to Panama.

COLOMBIA: News of a kidnapping; GUATEMALA: A tale of embezzlement; HONDURAS: Funny transactions in Honduras; A law against money laundering; NICARAGUA: New charges against Interbank executives; PANAMA: New dirty links between Peru and Panama; Portillo tarnished by accusations; URUGUAY: BCCI's death throes; and REGIONAL: Waves from Washington; Latin America EXTRA.

Application for the appointment of a Commissioner to collect evidence for a criminal investigation in Liechtenstein into Jorge Hugo Reyes Torres and others for suspected money laundering and narcotics trafficking.

A Bahamas-based mutual fund was used by one of Ecuador's best-known business families to defraud investors and the Central Bank of Ecuador out of approximately $160 million, it has been claimed.And the scandal has extended to the United States where the Federal Reserve Board has taken steps to safeguard the financial position of the Pan American Bank, in Miami.Both the Bahamian mutual fund - the Interamerican Asset Management Fund Limited - and the Pan American Bank were set up by the powerful Ortega family of Ecuador.