A lawyer speaks for the children of former President Martinelli 3:50
(CNN Spanish) ––
Ricardo Alberto Martinelli Linares, son of former Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to conspiracy to launder money before a court in the Eastern District of New York, his lawyer Sean Hecker told CNN on Wednesday.
"Yesterday, Mr. Ricardo Martinelli Linares accepted full responsibility for his conduct during the 2009-2015 period, related to the Odebrecht corruption issue," Hecker said in an email.
He added that Martinelli is "incredibly sorry."
And that he "looks forward to the day when he can try to start rebuilding his life."
Two sons of former Panamanian president Ricardo Martinelli are arrested in Guatemala
Ricardo Alberto is the second son of the former Panamanian president who pleads guilty to conspiring to launder money from bribes related to the Brazilian company Odebrecht, according to the United States Department of Justice.
His brother Luis Enrique Martinelli Linares accepted his responsibility on December 2.
CNN asked Luis Enrique's defense for comment on Wednesday, but has not yet received a response.
According to US prosecutors, the brothers "have admitted to opening 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 ".
Ricardo Alberto and Luis Enrique are sons of Ricardo Martinelli, who ruled Panama between 2009 and 2014. Martinelli again aspires to the presidency in 2024. The brothers did not work as civil servants during his government.
The former president has not been officially linked to or accused in the United States or in his country in the Odebrecht case.
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Guatemalan authorities carry out prison operation to stop an alleged escape plan by the Martinelli brothers
In Panama, Martinelli's lawyers do not talk about cases that are processed abroad.
The press office has told CNN that the family will not comment on the process in New York.
According to court documents cited by the Department of Justice, 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.
Ricardo Alberto and Luis Enrique Martinelli, who each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to commit money laundering, will be sentenced in May 2022. They could spend up to 20 years in prison and have already agreed to reimburse approximately $ 18.9 million. , according to the Department of Justice.
Elizabeth González contributed to this report.
Odebrecht Ricardo Martinelli