Million-dollar fraud against DGI: Court hearing exposes alleged scheme between officials and investigated individuals

Panama's Fiscalía Contra la Delincuencia Organizada (Organized Crime Prosecutor's Office) has revealed new details in the ongoing "Operation Pandora." This investigation has led to the apprehension of 16 individuals suspected of involvement in corruption, document forgery, and organized crime.

During a hearing, prosecutors outlined charges against the accused, who are alleged to be either primary perpetrators or accomplices in the investigated irregularities. The prosecution's case suggests a sophisticated structure where private individuals purportedly paid money to public officials, and even their relatives, to manipulate data within the E-Tax system of the Directorate General of Revenue (DGI).

According to the prosecution's theory, these alterations allowed for the irregular management of taxpayer information and tax credits. These credits could then be transferred to other organizations and used within the national financial system. A key piece of evidence comes from the testimony of the former head of Current Accounts at the DGI, who reportedly detailed the group's operations, the relationships between officials and private parties like accountants and lawyers, and the alleged exchange of payments to facilitate these illicit actions.

Investigators also revealed that some officials held meetings at a restaurant in the Santa Maria area to coordinate aspects of credit assignments, affected accounts, and payment distributions related to the system modifications. Cell phone devices seized during the investigation reportedly contained conversations between officials discussing payment freezes and changes to taxpayer accounts. The alleged economic impact of these fraudulent activities is estimated to exceed $40 million, affecting both taxpayers and the DGI.