Guatemala

COLOMBIA Everybody under surveillance The revelation that the Departamento Administrativo de Seguridad (DAS) - Colombia's domestic secret police service, which answers directly to president Álvaro Uribe - has illegally hadjournalists and opposition leaders in Colombia under surveillance has created a

COLOMBIA Espionage scandal A scandal brought about by Colombian President Álvaro Uribe having illegal meetings with judges, politicians, journalists and former public officials has cast a shadow over his government, inside and outside of the country. Colombians are now demanding

BRAZIL Switzerland accused of non cooperation A judge in Sao Paulo has sent a letter to the United Nations and the Financial Action Task Force accusing Switzerland of violating a UN international convention because the Swiss government refused to inform

ARGENTINA Fears of more laundering rise An Argentine plan to increase tax revenue and invigorate the economy by attracting offshore assets, with a no questions asked policy, is generating criticism from experts who say it could encourage money laundering instead.

 Both sides were claiming victory after a recent court judgment regarding a dispute between Bermuda-domiciled Leamington Reinsurance Company Ltd. and a minority shareholder, Lisa SA."Pollo Campero Owners Nailed in Fraud Case," was the headline of a press release issued on September 10, 2008 by plaintiff Lisa SA. The first sentence read: "Last week a judge in Bermuda issued a major decision which found a reinsurance company owned by Guatemala's immensely powerful Bosch-Gutierrez business group (Multi-Inversiones) liable for fraud committed against a minority shareholder, confirming long-standing allegations made by the plaintiff in diverse related cases in international courts."

Article based on an application for the appointment of a Commissioner to collect evidence for a criminal investigation into alleged corruption, fraud, and money laundering - pursuant to two requests for judicial assistance from Guatemala - that was filed at federal court in the USA on September 10, 2008. Individuals and businesses mentioned in the request for assistance include Byron Rodolfo Sanchez Corzo, Jose Benvenuto Conde Fernandez, Raul Alfonso Giron Galvez, Mercado de Futuros SA, Total Bank, MF Global, Inc., Harris Trust & Savings Bank, and Alaron Trading Corp.

Application for the appointment of a Commissioner to collect evidence for a criminal investigation in Guatemala into Byron Sanchez, a former Private Secretary of the President of the Guatemalan Congress; Jose Benvenuto Conde Fernandez and Raul Alfonso Giron Galvez for alleged fraud, embezzlement, bribery and money laundering.

Article based on an application to collect evidence for a criminal investigation into alleged corruption by former Guatemala president Alfonso Antonio Portillo Cabrera - pursuant to two requests for judicial assistance from Guatemala - that was filed at federal court in the USA on May 23, 2008. Individuals and businesses mentioned in the request for assistance include Alfonso Antonio Portillo Cabrera, Eduardo Arevalo Lacs, Enrique Rios Sosa, Sergio Hugo Cardenas Sagastume, Maria Eugenia Padua Gonzalez, Otilia Portillo Padua, Juan Jose de Leon Piñeda, Jose Armando Llort Quiteño, Credito Hipotecario Nacional de Guatemala Bank, Salomon Abraham Molina Giron, Corporacion Financiera Americana, Confia International Corp., Corporacion Electronica de Guatemala, Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentina, Audi Bank, Bank UBS Luxembourg NLU, Excell Life International, The International Bank of Miami, The Oxxy Bank Ltd., Oxxy Financial Corp., The Transcom Bank Ltd., Hamilton Bank, Riggs Bank, Bibliotecas  residenciales Para La Paz, and Mario Rolando Torres Marroquin.

Application for the appointment of a Commissioner to collect evidence for a criminal investigation in Guatemala into Alfonso Antonio Portillo Cabrera, a former President of Guatemala; Eduardo Arevalo Lacs, a former Minister of National Defense; Enrique Rios Sosa and Sergio Hugo Cardenas Sagastume, former members ofthe Department of Finances of the Guatemalan Army, and others for alleged corruption.

Article based on an application to collect evidence for a criminal investigation into alleged corruption - pursuant to a request for judicial assistance from Guatemala - that was filed at the U. S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida on February 27, 2008. Individuals and businesses mentioned in the request for assistance include House of Change Forex, Felix Gutierrez Solano, Melba Angelina Fiallos Guillen, Edwin Alfredo Virula Galicia, Jorge Camilo Bosco Frech Sevilla, Hector Santiago Rodriguez Flores, Claudia Lorena Galvez Estrada, The International Bank of Miami, Zions Bank, Security Bank NA, Mission National Bank, Sterling Bank, Invercredit Financial Corp., Equity Enterprises Financial Corp., Equity Enterprises Corp., Inversiones y Comercio Inc., Forex S.A., a.k.a. Casa de Cambio Forex S.A.; Forexsa of Florida Inc.

Article based on an application to collect evidence for an investigation into alleged bank fraud and money laundering - pursuant to a request for judicial assistance from Guatemala - that was filed at the U. S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida on March 11, 2008. Businesses mentioned in the request include Banco de Comercio SA, Organizadora de Comercio SA and Gulf Bank of Miami.

Article based on an application to collect evidence - pursuant to a request for judicial assistance from Guatemala - that was filed at the U. S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida on March 4, 2008. Individuals and businesses involved in the investigation include Alka Wenker SA, Almacenadora Fiscal Cealsa-Alka Wenker, Carburantes y Petroleos SA, Mario Amancio Brol Samayoa, Maria del Carmen Gutierrez Martinez de Brol, Maria Natalia Brol Gutierrez, Rony Fernando Morales Larranaga, Pedro Lopez Esquivel, Importadora y Distribuidora de Combustibles San Amrbosio SA, FranciscoSaulChivichon Avalos, Isiael Villanueva, Combustibles del Caribe SA, Danilo Olaverri Melgar, Rosalina Ramirez Herrera, Marco Antonio Claverri, Oil Caribbean SA, Marco Tulio Marroquin Perez, Carburantes Centroamericanos SA, Edgar Giovanny Mazariegos Mejia, Hugo Robert Crocker Alvarado, Sonia Veronica Colindres Mancilla, Gasolineras Quetzal SA, Citibank, and Extra International Bank.

Latin America Round-Up: BOLIVIA: Phony Phone Cards Come to Bolivia; CENTRAL AMERICA: Gangs and Corruption; COLOMBIA & VENEZUELA: Colombia Threatens to Denounce Venezuela; THE CARIBBEAN: Crime Wave; PANAMA: Drug Bust; PERU & VENEZUELA: Funds for Covert Meddling?; REGIONAL: 11 out of 20 countries cited for involement in narcotics trafficking.

Application for the appointment of a Commissioner to collect evidence for a criminal investigation in Guatemala into Banco de Comercio SA, Organizadora de Comercio, SA and their executives for alleged fraud and money laundering.

ARGENTINA: Corruption and Chlorophyll; Know Your Client; CHILE: In the Rich Man's Club?; New Anti-Money Laundering Measures at the Postal Service; GUATEMALA: Silence about murders; MEXICO: Controversy in the fight against trafficking continues; and REGIONAL: ALBA may be fined.

Article based on an application for the appointment of a Commissioner to collect evidence for a criminal investigation into alleged fraud and money laundering - pursuant to a request for judicial assistance from Guatemala - that was filed at federal court in the USA on February 21, 2008. Individuals and businesses mentioned in the request for assistance include Annelie Henriette Ossaye Olivotto, International Bank of Miami, Inversiones Osol SA, La Casa del Tornillo SA, and Iride Loraine Ossaye Olivotto.

Application for the appointment of a Commissioner to collect evidence for a criminal investigation in Guatemala into Alka Wenker SA, an oil distribution company, for alleged tax fraud and money laundering.

Application for the appointment of a Commissioner to collect evidence for a criminal investigation in Guatemala into House of Change Forex, Felix Gutierrez Solano, Melba Angelina Fiallos Guillen, Edwin Alfredo Virula Galicia, Jorge Camilio Bosco Frech Sevillia, Hector Santiago Rodriguez Flores, Claudia Lorena Galvez Estrada and others for alleged fraud and money laundering.

Application for the appointment of a Commissioner to collect evidence for a criminal investigation in Guatemala into Annelie Henriette Ossaye Olivotto, in her capacity as manager of Inversiones Osol SA, for alleged fraud and money laundering.

ARGENTINA & VENEZUELA: Laundering and Politics; CARIBBEAN: The heat from the USA PATRIOT Act; COSTA RICA: Investigating Banco Popular; Costa Rica, Head of GAFIC; Remittances on the rise; GUATEMALA: Lottery under scrutiny; MEXICO: Chairing the OAS Anti-Laundering Group; and PERU: Fujimori sentenced.

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.

GUATEMALA: Babies and Money; MEXICO: Pro and Anti Casinos Clash; Police: A Tale of Impotence and Corruption; After 30 Years, Guilty; PARAGUAY: New Law against Money Laundering; and PERU: Cocaine, Growing; Fujimori Arrested, Again.

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.

Application for the appointment of a Commissioner to collect evidence for a criminal investigation in Costa Rica into La Nacion SA, Manuel Francisco Jimenez Echeverria, Javier Leon Longhi, Luis Javier Uribe, Carlos Alberto Gonzalez, Fernando Vargas Espinoza and Capital Leasing Corporation for suspected tax evasion.

A Bahamas-based business operated by Mohamad Harajchi and his son, Michel Harajchi, that was exposed in the October 31, 2006 edition of OffshoreAlert has stopped accepting new business; Andreas Ihrke has agreed to be extradited from the United States to Germany, where he has been charged with fraud and falsification of documents; British newspaper The Daily Telegraph reported on December 23 that the U. K. Government “is set to announce within weeks an amnesty scheme for tax evaders who have stashed money in offshore bank accounts"; OffshoreAlert has uncovered a securities fraud complaint that was filed - and later dismissed - at the U. S. District Court for the District of Nevada in 2003 against a company that has featured prominently in the newsletter in recent months, Bermuda-based River Capital Limited; A Costa Rica-based brokerage firm has reached a settlement with the British Columbia Securities Commission after admitting to unregistered trading to B. C. residents; and Bancafe International Bank Ltd., which is the fifth largest unsecured creditors of bankrupt commodities broker Refco, with a claim for $204 million, had its operations closed by the Central Bank of Barbados, effective October 23, 2006.

Application for the appointment of a Commissioner to collect evidence for a criminal investigation in Costa Rica into Maria del Carmen Cruz Lizano for alleged fraud while working for Intrade ABC SA. The application for the appointment of a Commissioner was denied by the U. S. Court because the attached request for assistance from Costa Rica contained no mention of Maria del Carmen Cruz Lizano and appears to be for an unrelated investigation, specifically a tax evasion investigation into La Nacion SA, Manuel Francisco Jimenez Echeverria, Javier Leon Longhi, Luis Javier Uribe, Carlos Alberto Gonzalez, Fernando Vargas Espinoza and Capital Leasing Corporation.

Chapter 15 Petition for Recognition of a Foreign Main Proceeding in Barbados by Marcus Wide, as the Foreign Representative of Bancafe International Bank Ltd., at the U. S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Florida.

CHILE: Not As Clean As It Looks; GUATEMALA: Portillo Closer to Home; HAITI: IDT's Blues; INTERNATIONAL: No Good News from TI Report; MEXICO: Smugglers and Launderers Neutralized; No Solution to Oaxaca's Crisis; NICARAGUA: Ortega Returns; REGIONAL: Businesses Worry About Frauds, Hackers and … Laundering; and URUGUAY: The Last of the Free Peiranos.

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: Pinochet Investigation Goes to Panama; GUATEMALA: Guatemalan Customs Heir Arrested; and PERU: “Fuji” Arrested in Chile.

BRAZIL: Corruption Crisis in Brazil Deepens; GUATEMALA: Portillo Can Travel; LATIN AMERICA: Remittances on the High; and PERU: New Member of the Egmont Group.

CHILE Pinochet Had 125 Bank Accounts A further investigation by a U. S. Senate Subcommittee into former dictator Augusto Pinochet's riches revealed this month that he held 125 bank accounts in the U. S., and not a few as previously

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.

CHILETracing the General's secret money The Chilean authorities assigned a special Judge, Sergio Muñoz, to investigate the alleged illegal money linked to former dictator Augusto Pinochet. Judge Muñoz has taken control of $6 million that was held in trusteeship in

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.

ARGENTINA Good banks, bad banksElisa Carrió - leader of the Alternative for a Republic of Equals (ARI) party - warned the government in a letter that Merrill Lynch & Co. and Barclays Plc, two of the three banks picked by

ARGENTINA: The Swiss connection; New charges for banker; BRAZIL: Lula faces first scandal; EL SALVADOR: Sentences in El Carmen case; GUATEMALA: Portillo on the run; MEXICO: Court rules U.S. operation unconstitutional; PARAGUAY: Looking for minister Ferreira; The Peirano brothers: scapegoats?; and PERU: Toledo in trouble.

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

CHILEInverlink debacle goes on Former Scotiabank employee Gino Tirapegui, and former BBVA employee Juan Pablo Prieto and Inverlink's Larry Fletcher have been indicted for fraud related to the Inverlink case. They are part of a group of twenty people, including

ARGENTINA: Investigator investigated; CHILE: A major financial scandal erupts; COSTA RICA: More controls for Costa Rica; GUATEMALA: USA resumes aid; Congress Chair in trouble for alleged corruption; MEXICO: The PRI fined; Divine bank accounts; NICARAGUA: Bolaños presents policy; PANAMA: Portillo's account in the open; REGIONAL: Eleven jurisdictions of "concern" in Latin America and the Caribbean; URUGUAY: Controversy! What controversy?; and VENEZUELA: Chavez under scrutiny.

ARGENTINA: Still, debate about Menem's feasibility as candidate; BOLIVIA: Big trouble in La Paz; COLOMBIA: Operation against Cali cartel's leader; GUATEMALA: Acquisition to save Banoro; Blacklisted again; NICARAGUA: Centeno Roque brothers sentenced; PARAGUAY: President González Macchi under investigation; and PERU: Montesinos' silence.

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

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.

Corruption in Argentina Since it was founded in 1999, the Argentinean Anti Corruption Office has handled 1,784 cases that generated 489 complaints but none of them has produced a sentence. The last index by Transparency International — which classifies countries

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.

COLOMBIA: New "super code" against corruption; GUATEMALA: No removal from "black list"; HONDURAS: Rich in Police corruption; HONDURAS & BOLIVIA: New Anti-Money Laundering laws debated; MEXICO: "Yellow light"; Something fishy in Banco Atlántico; PANAMA: New scandal; PERU: Switzerland offers to repatriate $110 million; and REGIONAL: Enron in Latin America.  

ARGENTINA: Chaos in Argentina; EL SALVADOR: Degrees galore; GUATEMALA: New anti-laundering law in Guatemala; and MEXICO: Clean up operation in Mexico.