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Quintavalle Behind
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Quintavalle Behind Bars
The saga of Matteo
Quintavalle continues as
the Italian businessman
wanted by the
authorities for failing
to show to answer their
questions, woke up this
morning behind the bars
of the San Sebastían
jail in San José.
The arrest came after
Quintavalle appeared
yesterday morning at the
offices of the
Ministerio Público after
a massive search for man
was made in Guanacaste
over the weekend
following reports of his
sighting.
Quintavalle was to have
appeared before the
Ministerio Público the
Friday July 6th to
answer questions of the
prosecution of
allegations by his
investors of fraud.
Quintavalle did not show
and an arrest warrant
was issued. Authorities
believed that the man
may have left Costa Rica
and asked for the help
of the international
police agency, Interpol.
The arrest order had
been issued last Monday
by the Juzgado de Turno
Extraordinario for
Quintavalle and his
associates, Hernández,
Coulther, Roberth and
Lawton, all who appear
to be tied to the
alleged charges.
The charges stem from a
filing by 17 of
Quintavalle's investors
in a Pavas court last
June 19, who say that
Quintavalle has stiffed
them of their more than
us$4 million dollars.
The interview lasted
most of the day and it
wasn't until 3:30pm when
the interview was over
and the Italian and his
companion and co-accused
Hernández where
handcuffed and whisked
away to the cells in the
basement of the court
house.
The fate of
Quintavalle's freedom is
expected to be resolved
by a the Juzgado Penal
de Hacienda who is being
asked to detain
Quintavalle in
preventive detention for
one year.
Given Quintavalle's
health, the court may
dictate house arrest
while the process by the
Fiscalía de Delitos
Económicos, Corrupción y
Tributarios continues
against him.
Quintavalle assures that
he never intended to
leave Costa Rica and
become a fugitive and
that the delay in
appearing before the
Ministerio Público was
based on legal advice.
With Hernández, a man
that Quintavalle has
publicly stated as his
lover, was beside him
all the time.
"We knew what the
outcome could be, though
we did not come prepared
to be put behind bars,
we knew that is one of
the many possibilities
and we will be
respectful of what is
decided. The lawyer will
now do his work to avoid
that from happening",
said Hernández.
Quintavalle told the
press that he was not
hiding out and that he
was only 300 metres from
his home in Escazú and
that he had been
following the press
reports who made him out
to be like a serial
killer.
The Italian businessman
says he is innocent and
that if he had wanted to
flee he could have weeks
ago, could have left on
his private plane.
Quintavalle is the only
one so far to come
forward to face the
charges. Asked of why
the others have not come
forward, Quintavalle
said he cannot speak for
them and doesn't
understand why they have
not appeared.
Quintavalle assures that
he was not in hiding and
that he did not come
forward earlier because
of the mid-year school
vacation and the absence
of the full time
Fiscales (prosecutors),
not wanting to face the
supply prosecutors
during the court
vacation period.
Asked about the future
of the soccer players he
contracted, Quintavalle
said simply that he has
to look out for himself
first and when all is
cleared up, he can think
about others. |
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