By Susana Lima

 

The former ex leaders of Bancafé International Bank Ltd. (BIB) Bank-re offsho Coffee (Bancafé), identified as Eduardo Gonzalez Rivera and his sons Jorge Alfredo and Manuel Eduardo Gonzalez Castillo, Eduardo Alberto Palomo Mahr, Eduardo Antonio Palomo Escobar, Ariel Estuardo Camargo Fernandez, Celeste Aida Desiree Soto Vettorazzi and Francis Frederick Fisher Theriot, were arrested after being identified by the Public Ministry of been involved in a scam for $ 204 million.

 

The BIB allowed to conduct the crime and other financial institutions were also used to declare the alleged failure of the banking entity. Those involved are accused of money laundering, conspiracy, financial intermediation and special case of fraud.

By order of the Tenth Criminal Court of First Instance , The National Civil Police (PNC), staff of the MP Banking Unit and the Army were sent to carry out 30 raids to capture 22 people accused of diverting funds personal accounts. These raids were conducted in zones 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16 in Santa Catarina Pinula, miles 4.5, 16.5 and 22.5 of road to El Salvador.

 

Fisher Theriot and Gonzalez Rivera were taken to a private clinic due to sickness with police custody where they spent the weekend and the court will hear them today. The other prisoners were detained in holding cells at the court tower.

 

In the Tenth Criminal Court, Gonzalez Rivera came to sign the attendance book at approximately 10:00 am, one of the alternative measures imposed by the Ninth Criminal Court. Gonzalez Rivera was arrested for having served at that time as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the BIB, based in Barbados.

 

Jorge Alfredo Gonzalez Castillo, knowing that his father went to court but did not come out, was presented to investigate the facts, but was also arrested on admission. The following to be arrested were Palomo Mahr and Fischer Theriot.

 

Soto Vettorazzi appeared in court to ask about the raids that took place at his residence and he was informed about the arrest warrant against him and was immediately arrested. Passing the afternoon, they were taken to the holding cells located in the 15th floor, Room 8 of the First Major Risk Court.

 

Meanwhile, Eduardo Gonzalez Castillo appeared voluntarily at Tenth Criminal Court to confirm if there really was an arrest warrant, after that Camargo Fernandez came and an hour later Palomo Escobar arrived, all were handcuffed and taken to the holding cells.

 

Eduardo Gonzalez Castillo, committed to the court, said: It is a show of the Public Ministry; there is a civil process elucidating in Barbados on the liquidation of Bancafé International Bank and in the case of Banco del Café, SA, and other local companies of the group; there is also a civil lawsuit. With the persecution of the investigating body the public in being confused and raise false expectations to those who have the right to recover the money they had in that bank. "Catches do not apply, because the process in Barbados must be concluded first.

 

Angel Castro, a plaintiff in the case, remarked: Although after five years they begin to do justice, because they are being processed here for fraud, financial intermediation and money laundering, regardless of what happens in Barbados. The fact is notorious, stole the money and we were cheated, and that money is invested in their businesses.

 

David Abbott, defense attorney for the Gonzalez and Soto Vetorazzi family reported that the liquidation of the BIB is being ventilated in Barbados, and said that while those proceedings are concluded there, a  financial damage cannot be claimed and less initiate a criminal prosecution against the defendants.

 

According to information from the Prosecutor's Office Organized Crime of the MP, the estate of Eduardo Gonzalez Rivera is $ 30 million.