Trail Of Mistakes Leads
To Panama
By Duncan Kennedy, BBC
News
For John and Anne
Darwin, Panama was a
country in which to grow
old and to grow rich.
But the couple made
mistakes as soon as they
arrived.
The now infamous photo
of them in the Panama
City office of their
legal and property
adviser Mario Vilar was
posted on the company's
website, available for
all to see.
It was taken some 18
months before Darwin
reappeared in public, at
a time when he was
supposed to be dead.
Mr Vilar was their
Panamanian liaison, on
hand to introduce them
to the country and help
answer their questions
about tax, accommodation
and health cover.
The couple had contacted
him, seeking help in
their move to Panama. A
series of e-mails left a
trail for the police to
follow. In one e-mail,
dated 27 June 2006,
Darwin uses the name
"John Jones" and it is
signed "regards John and
Anne".
His wife had been
brought into the plan.
The deception had begun.
"We never knew," said Mr
Vilar. "They were such a
nice couple. Easygoing.
Friendly. We had no
idea. It came as such a
shock."
Karina, his wife and
fellow director, is more
blunt. "They deceived
us," she said.
"Everything was a lie."
But it was just the
beginning of the
deception and the
spending.
The Darwins' next step
was to buy their own
top-floor apartment in a
Panama City block,
reportedly for about
£38,000.
There is a painting
resting on one floor. In
another room a fax
machine sits on a desk.
The kitchen, with its
wooden units, looks
undisturbed. A yellow
ceramic chicken sits on
one surface.
Elsewhere, a pair of
sports shoes lie on a
floor.
Outside, there is a
terrace overlooking
Panama City.
And then there are the
surrounding wall
sculptures. At least
five clay faces of the
sun. Art in an imitation
life.
In the underground
garage sits the Darwins'
brand new Toyota 4x4.
Orlando Amores, the
building's long-serving
porter, said it was
worth an estimated
£20,000. But since they
were last here it has
been gathering dust.
It was John Darwin who
Orlando met first in
April last year.
"Are you sure it was as
long ago as that," I
asked. "Yes," replied
Orlando. "I remember it
well, as he was a
foreigner. "I thought he
was Swiss at first. He
couldn't speak much
Spanish, but we would
talk when he emptied his
dustbins. He was very
normal."
A new apartment, new car
and new life.
The Darwins' had started
their Panamanian
spending spree - but
there would be more.
Much more. They headed
north, past the
country's famous canal
to the province of
Colon, a place where
they were to make their
biggest purchase of all.
They went to buy a farm
in Escobal. It is not a
typical farm. Think
dense jungle, not
ploughed fields.
The exact plans they had
for the land are the
subject of debate.
Almost certainly they
wanted to create a
tourist eco-park but it
has also been reported
that they wanted to open
a canoe holiday centre.
For a man who faked his
own death in a canoeing
accident, it is an
ironic addition to an
already rich tale of
subterfuge.
The BBC later saw the
purchase document for
the farm and documents
from the company they
used to buy it.
The company is called
Jaguar Properties and
Anne Darwin signs
herself as president.
The sale note shows that
Jaguar paid nearly
$400,000 (£200,000) for
the 500-acre farm.
But, as before, they let
their guard down.
A new picture shows
Darwin at the farm. It
was taken in the summer
of last year, six months
before the world knew he
was still alive.
Manuel Bosques, from the
local municipality, said
the eco-park scheme was
going to be a vital
economic boost to the
poor area of Panama.
"This project could have
helped more than 20
families, maybe 100
people," he said.
"It is very
disappointing there is
now no project here
because there would have
been a lot of work for
people."
Real people have paid a
price for the Darwins'
actions.
And now the couple's
dream of the tax haven
they hoped would become
their safe haven, has
ended.
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