Prosecutors to seek fraud charges against owners of stock brokerage Pérez Marexiano

Prosecutors in Uruguay are preparing to charge Pedro and Carlos Pérez, the owners of the stock brokerage firm Pérez Marexiano, with fraud. This move follows an intervention by the Central Bank of Uruguay (BCU) in late October 2025, which cited "serious breaches" and placed the company under preventive supervision.

The BCU's resolution suspended all activities of Pérez Marexiano Sociedad de Bolsa S.A. and removed its authorities, including the Pérez brothers, from their senior positions. The bank also alerted the Public Ministry to the facts discovered, given the potential for criminal conduct. The intervention was led by accountant Ana Chaves, who had previously overseen the intervention of another firm, GBU.

The investigation stems from a complaint filed in April 2025 by the brokerage firm's shareholders against a former employee, Luis Ignacio González Palombo. They accused him of defrauding investors by posing as a company representative. While Pérez Marexiano's lawyer initially filed the complaint, the lawyer for a group of alleged victims later expanded it, implicating the company's directors.

This expansion was based on the argument that the directors were aware of González Palombo's alleged actions, as he was serving their clients from the company's offices. The BCU's findings also noted "possible criminal acts" by the former employee and "serious breaches" by the brokerage, including "hiding relevant information" about him from the bank.