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Juan Carlos Pino (former head of Tocumen International Airport) Embroiled in Parking Lot Scam


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Ex-airport boss facing parking lots  probe

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Juan Carlos Pino
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While the current Manager  of Tocumen S.A. Carlos Duboy, struggles  to untangle himself from a net involving political donations collected from Odebrecht, Latin America’s  bribery kingpin, and  failing to step aside when conflict of interest issues were raised,, an Anti-Corruption Prosecutor  is developing charges against a  former general manager for crimes linked to the administration of  public parking lots.

The   Public Prosecutor’s Office has confirmed that Juan Carlos Pino is being investigated for alleged irregularities in the contract for the administration and collection of parking lots in favor of the company Republic Parking, after Sky Parking, granted in the government of Ricardo Martinelli (2009-2014).

Prosecutors have also laid charges against  Frank De Lima the former Minister of Finance who is already in preventive detention in El Renacer prison on charges relating to bribes by Odebrecht.

The investigation, conducted by prosecutor Lizzie Bonilla, focuses on an audit report of the Comptroller General that determined a patrimonial injury of $2 million.

Although in principle the operation contract of the parking lots was managed as confidential, it was later learned that Sky Society Parking, S.A. is linked to Gabriel Gaby Btesh and Francisco Pérez Ferreira.

Btesh was a member of the so-called zero circle of Ricardo Martinelli and Ferreira is a lawyer linked to the scandal of free allocation of a Paitilla landfill, now turned into a public space. Btesh is believed to have fled the country.

Pino is also under investigation for possible damage to state assets.

 

http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/ex-airport-boss-facing-parking-lots-probe

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Probe of airport parking scam to continue

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Juan Carlos Pino, still on the hook
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THE SEVENTH Criminal Court has rejected a move by lawyers of the former head of Tocumen International  Airport.  Juan Carlos Pino, to block an investigation by anti-corruption prosecutor  Lizzie Bonilla.of possible irregularities in the contract granted to the Sky Parking Company, S.A., for the administration of the parking lots in the air terminal.

A forensic audit by the Comptroller General revealed that between 2007 and 2010, the time at which the airport managed the parking lots it, received an average of $1.3 million per year. and during the time Sky Parking, S.A., had the concession, the terminal received on average $ 312,000 creating a possible injury to the state of $1.9 million.

The auditors blame Pino, as well as the former minister of Economy and Finance Frank De Lima, who was president of the board of directors of  Tocumen, S.A.

 

http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/probe-airport-parking-scam-continue

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  • Moderator_02 changed the title to Juan Carlos Pino (former head of Tocumen International Airport) Emboiled in Parking Lot Scam

Stealing from the government by elected or appointed officials seems to be both blatant and commonplace. And even if convicted,  judges don't seem to impose any meaningful  penalties.

Expats can't do anything about it and Panamanians apparently seem to tolerate or even expect it.

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  • Admin_01 changed the title to Juan Carlos Pino (former head of Tocumen International Airport) Embroiled in Parking Lot Scam

I think the problem lies in the belief that if EVERYONE is corrupt, who can the people elect to fix the problem?  When we first got here my very well connected lawyer told me that politicians get elected, get fat, then retire.  After 5 years, now I know what he meant by that.

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Moderator comment: I believe this news article is related to the above corruption topic. If not, please advise.

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Appeals in airport scam denied

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Posted 04/03/2019
 
Two appeals filed by businessman Gabriel Btesh, under investigation for alleged embezzlement crimes from Tocumen International Airport have been denied.

The Anticorruption Discharge Office initiated the case after an audit by the Comptroller General revealed that of the Republic, which determined that the air terminal did not receive $1.9 million from the direct contract granted to Sky Parking, SA, linked to Btesh, for the administration of the parking lots of the international airport.

The first of the rejected appeals sought to invalidate the investigation decision in which the prosecution charged him

The other appeal rejected was a requested to annul the order of preventive detention, as well as the request of office that the prosecution t to Interpol, in order to issue an  international red alert against Btesh.

The prosecutor's office has requested in its fiscal hearing an appeal to trial for Btesh, the former Minister of Economy and Finance Frank De Lima ; the former manager of Tocumen's board of directors Juan Carlos Pino ; and José Quintero and Dionisia Gutiérrez, representatives of the company Sky Parking SA, which managed the parking lots between October 2011 and July 2014.

 

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/appeals-in-airport-scam-denied

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