Friday 21 November
2008, San José, Costa
Rica
Panama Captures Boss of
Colombian Financial
Scheme
Laura Bush in
Panama To Promote Cancer Research
Salvadorian Expats
Meet at Home
International Election
Observers Arrive in
Venezuela
Argentina: Biogas From
Papaya Waste
|
Panama Captures Boss of
Colombian Financial
Scheme
Bogota - Panama captured
and extradited the
accused boss of a
Colombian financial
pyramid scheme that
threatens investors with
millions of dollars in
losses, Colombian police
said on Thursday.
The scheme is one of
several in a growing
financial scandal that
has sparked riots as
mostly poor investors
try to recover their
savings and analysts
warn about the impact on
Colombia's already
slowing economy.
David Murcia, head of
financial agency DMG,
was caught in Panama as
he tried to flee into
Costa Rica. He was
extradited to Colombia,
where he and his
directors face charges
including money
laundering and other
financial crimes, police
said.
"After such a massive
fraud against thousands
of our countrymen, this
is a man who is a risk
and we will keep him
under very tight
security," national
police commander Gen.
Oscar Naranjo told local
radio.
President Alvaro Uribe's
government has said it
will help victims
recover their losses and
has declared a state of
emergency over the
crisis.
Thousands have lost
their savings on scams
that promised high
interest rates, real
estate deals and debit
cards to buy consumer
goods.
Authorities are probing
possible links between
the finance agencies and
Colombia's
multibillion-dollar
cocaine trade.
An attorney for DMG has
said the company's
managers were innocent
and were ready to
cooperate with the
investigation.
Thousands of DMG
depositors took to the
streets this week to
protest a decision by
Uribe to shut the
stores.
At least two people were
killed in riots last
week when the bosses of
other companies, which
had promised up to 150
percent interest,
started shutting their
doors and disappearing
with cash. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
