France says Manuel Noriega could soon be extradited to Panama

After spending time in US and French jails former dictator will be extradited to Panama French appeals court ruled this week that former Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega could be extradited to his homeland to serve time for crimes committed during his iron-fisted rule in the 1980s.

Noriega, a former US ally who ruled Panama from 1983 until his overthrow in a US invasion in 1989, spent more than 20 years in a US jail before being extradited in 2010 to France where he was convicted of money laundering.

“The court acknowledges Manuel Antonio Noriega's consent to being handed over to the Panamanian authorities,” the court said. The ruling comes after the United States agreed to a second Panamanian extradition request. US approval is required because US authorities sent Noriega to France in April 2010 while he was serving time in a Miami jail.

“I want to return to Panama without hatred or resentment,” Noriega told the court in Spanish. “I want to go back to Panama to prove my innocence in these procedures that were carried out in my absence and without legal assistance”.

One of Noriega's lawyers said last week that the fallen leader should be home for Christmas and might not even go to prison because of the 77-year-old's alleged ill health.

A long-time intelligence chief who became the country's military ruler in 1983, Noriega spent 21 years in a Miami prison on drug charges after his overthrow, and then was extradited to France, where he was sentenced to six years in prison on charges of laundering money for the Medellin drug cartel.

Michael Hearns an Anti Money Laundering specialist with over 24 years of AML experience can also be found at www.launderingmoney.com and on twitter at : http://twitter.com/#!/LaunderingMoney

Panama issues stay of proceedings against businessman accused of money laundering

Panama’s Twelfth Criminal Court issued a stay of proceedings Tuesday, in favor of businessman Jean Figali, indicted for money laundering from drug trafficking and forgery of public documents.

Figali had been detained for 10 months after his conditional release last May, was given as a precautionary measure “country jail.” The investigation was launched byJoseph Ayú Prado, now the country’s attorney general.

In the ruling, dated Monday November 21, judge Marlene Morais ruled that the Organized Crime Prosecutor failed to prove drug trafficking by the businessman..

Judge Morais, said  reports that gave rise to the inquiry in December 2009, prepared by the Financial Analysis Unit (UAF), attached to the Presidency of the Republic, were not confirmed by the prosecution or by the experts of the Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences (Imelcf) or by the experts of the Money Laundering Division of the Directorate of Judicial Investigation (DIJ) of the National Police (PN).

The reports indicated awareness of the suspicious movement of millions of dollars  by Figali companies.

The ruling indicates that analysts by Imelcf  the DIJ and the UAF contained in the reports had "inconsistencies, wrong assertions and lack of documentation" that could link Figali to money laundering activities related to trafficking of drugs.

The prosecution used the reports of the UAF as a basis for requesting a conviction in, given that there was sufficient evidence for it.

In the same ruling, the Judge Morais acquitted Figali  of the charge of falsifying or altering his official passport to leave the country to try and circumvent the process.

Figali was arrested on July 6, 2010 at a police checkpoint in Guabal, Chiriqui, and only carried a personal identity card. But a day later fpolice found in San Carlos a passport allegedly belonging to the defendant, a document that was partially burned.

The judge held that although it was determined that the passport had one of the seals and false signatures the prosecution , "has not been able to attribute these changes to Figali."

The ruling acquitted Virzi Mario Herrera, one of the managers of Figali companies who was also accused of money laundering.

"God has been with me and my family through these difficult times and I always trusted that the truth would prevail over lies and falsehoods," said Figali in a note to La Prensa  His lawyer Carlos Carrillo asked for the lifting of the injunction of country jail on his client .

It was reported that prosecutor Marcelino Aguilar was out of the country so no decision has been made about an appeal.

Michael Hearns an Anti Money Laundering specialist with over 24 years of AML experience can also be found at www.launderingmoney.com and on twitter at : http://twitter.com/#!/LaunderingMoney

Five tons of Gold and Silver to be auctioned in Money Laundering settlement

Five tons of gold and silver jewelry, seized as a result of a money-laundering investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, is being sold by sealed bid by the U.S. Marshals Service.

The service announced today that the gold and silver jewelry can be reviewed at an undisclosed site in Texas - by appointment only - to registered bidders. Registration for the auction is open until Friday and requires a $100,000 refundable deposit.

The bulk lot consists of more than 40,000 troy ounces of mixed-karat gold jewelry and more than 100,000 troy ounces of silver jewelry, according to the U.S. Marshals Service.

The money-laundering investigation involved two Panama companies that were laundering narcotics proceeds from the United States, according to investigators.

Yardena Hebroni and Eliahu Mizrani were charged with laundering millions of dollars in narcotics proceeds through a wholesale jewelry business, Speed Joyeros S.A., and a related company, Argento Vivo, S.A., which together did more than $100 million annually.

Hebroni and Mizrahi, and both companies, pleaded guilty to money laundering.

Michael Hearns an Anti Money Laundering specialist with over 24 years of AML experience can also be found at www.launderingmoney.com and on twitter at : http://twitter.com/#!/LaunderingMoney