A lawyer speaks for the children of former President Martinelli 3:50
(CNN Spanish) -
The Panamanian authorities reported this Wednesday that they have formally requested the United States to hand over the money resulting from the judicial process opened in New York against two of the children of former President Ricardo Martinelli, who have pleaded guilty in a federal court to conspire to launder money as part of the international corruption scheme linked to the Brazilian company Odebrecht.
The Public Ministry of Panama indicates in a statement that asks the US Department of Justice (DOJ), the "restitution to our country of money from crimes or any amount equivalent to property or proceeds of crime that have been, or the future will be confiscated "Ricardo Alberto Martinelli Linares and Luis Enrique Martinelli Linares in United States territory.
CNN asked the DOJ for a response to this request, but so far there has been no response.
According to US prosecutors, the Martinelli brothers admitted "to having opened secret bank accounts in the name of shell companies in foreign countries and the United States, in order to hide more than US $ 28 million in bribes from Odebrecht for the benefit of a close relative, a senior public official in Panama ".
The defendants - who have each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to commit money laundering - will be sentenced in May 2022 in New York.
They could spend up to 20 years in prison and have already agreed to reimburse approximately $ 18.9 million, according to the DOJ.
advertising
Former Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli acquitted for the second time in case of wiretapping
Ricardo Alberto and Luis Enrique are the sons of Ricardo Martinelli, who ruled Panama between 2009 and 2014, and who again aspires to the presidency in 2024. The brothers did not work as civil servants during his government and the former president has not been officially linked or accused in the United States. States or in your country for the Odebrecht case.
According to the Public Ministry of Panama, the Martinelli Linares brothers also have a pending judicial process that is under investigation for their alleged participation in the money laundering scheme that involved Odebrecht.
Carlos Carrillo, attorney for the defendants in Panama, told CNN on Wednesday that at this time they have no comment on the statement from the Public Ministry.
According to court documents cited by the DOJ, Odebrecht paid more than US $ 700 million in bribes to numerous government officials, public servants, political parties and others, both in Panama and in other countries, with the aim of obtaining and retaining business for the company .
In December 2016, Odebrecht "pleaded guilty in the Eastern District of New York to charges of conspiring to violate the anti-bribery provisions of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), for its participation in the bribery and money laundering scheme. money, "according to US authorities.
Elizabeth González contributed to this report.
Ricardo Martinelli
