Gustavo García de Paredes (Former Rector of University of Panama) Facing Embezzlement/Corruption Charges

[Bud]

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Call for University embezzlement probe

Posted on August 11, 2016 in Panama

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 UNIVERSITY OF PANAMA (UP) Rector Gustavo Garcia de Paredes who has maintained an autocratic rule over the institution since 1994 is not going to be allowed to go quietly into the night when his final term ends.

Gustavo Garcia de Paredes

A   watchdog group, The Movement foe Decency, within the university  has called for an investigation into the alleged embezzlement of funds during his administration.

José Garrido, the coordinator of the group, accused the outgoing rector of creating a number of structural problems in the school as he prepares to leave and has called on Attorney General Kenia Porcell to open an investigation.

He also called on incoming Rector Eduardo Flores to make immediate internal changes to prevent any further economic damage. He said the change in leadership is a chance to make positive and necessary changes.

Among the irregularities cited by the group are the sale of lands belonging to the school for below-market value and problems with contracts issued by the school.

http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/call-university-embezzlement-probe

[Bud]

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“Immoral” University bonus challenged

Posted on August 19, 2016 in Panama

Comptroller Federico Humbert

Post Views: 86

THE OUTGOING Rector of the University of Panama who stands to get an extra $80,000 retirement bonus from a deal  he stick handled through just six days before the election for his replacement, may never get his hands on the jackpot.

Panama’s Comptroller  Federico Humbert has added his voice to the widespread chorus condemning what is perceived as an immoral act. He said  he will do everything possible to reject a proposed bonus for professors retiring from the University of Panama (UP) at the age of 75.

“We will do everything in our power to suspend such payments,” said Humbert on Friday, August 19. He said that he is already preparing a legal challenge to the bonus to be presented to the Supreme Court.

The agreement was published Wednesday in the Government Gazette, which increased the maximum bonus from six to 15 months of a person’s salary and decreased the number of years to be served before a beneficiary became eligible..

“It is wrong, it is illegal, it is immoral and it was done without shame by a group to reward themselves,” said the comptroller.

Humbert said he can challenge the payment as being against the economic well-being of the state. He said the payment will prevent the UP from hiring new staff because it has not been accounted for in next year’s budget.

http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/immoral-university-bonus-challenged

[Keith Woolford]

Photos like the one above of the nation's Comptroller, Federico Humbert, inspire confidence that he's a guy who is on the side of the straight deal.

On the part of Panama's citizens, he always appears to be serious and genuinely offended when dealing with financial misdeeds.

I've noticed he also shows up at government construction projects to inspect and get a better understanding of what he's controlling.

 

[Moderator_02]

http://www.prensa.com/in_english/Ordenan-secuestro-bienes-Garcia-Paredes_21_4766733282.html

[Moderator_02]

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Former University rector fails corruption probe block

Posted on July 9, 2017 in Panama

Post Views: 113

GUSTAVO García de Paredes, former Rector of The University of Panama (UP), facing six embezzlement denunciations for alleged  irregularities during his time in office, has lost the first round in his battle to avoid investigation.

The Third Criminal Court has denied an appeal claiming that the investigation related to the rental and sale of University lands  had exceeded the time allowed by law.

The legal appeal was filed by attorney Omar Rodríguez on behalf of the Westminster Corporation, which in

1997 signed a contract with the UP for the rental of a hangar and parking lots located on University grounds,

The complaint contends that the investigation by

The Anti-Corruption Public Prosecutor’s Office is not valid because it has exceeded the four months of investigation, established by the Judicial Code. It also adds that all steps taken after that date must be declared null and void. According to the appeal, the prosecution initiated the investigation on August 16, 2016, so

The term of four months has already been exceeded.

However, Substitute Judge Jackeline Ospina Bethancourt ruled that although the Public  Ministry

was aware of the events on May 5, 2016, through a story Published by La Prensa, no action taken until August 18, 2016 and that article 2033 of the Judicial Code indicates

that where there are no detainees, the investigation can continue until it is completed.

 

http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/former-university-rector-fails-corruption-probe-block

[Moderator_02]

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Ex-university rector faces anticorruption probe

Posted on July 19, 2017 in Panama

 

Gustavo Parades

Post Views: 108

THE FORMER rector of the University   of Panama Gustavo García de Paredes  who has been linked to several investigations of events during his extended time in office  spent  Tuesday, July 18 facing an anti-corruption prosecutor over allegations of  mismanagement of funds in the design and construction of improvements of the Faculty of Dentistry.

Research that began earlier this year is related to possible faults against the university heritage, in the purchase of special dental care chairs, which had to be carried out in 2013  but was not made.

According to an audit report of the Comptroller General of the Republic, purchase orders were issued for materials and other equipment, but were not used in the execution of the work, so it is estimated that an equity injury of $37,000 could have occurred.

Upon his arrival at the Public Prosecutor’s Office, García de Paredes denied the  irregularities and  told media: “Everything is working perfectly in the Faculty of Dentistry.”

 

http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/ex-university-rector-faces-anticorruption-probe

[Moderator_02]

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Ex-rector no-show for anticorruption probe

Posted on July 24, 2017 in Panama

 

Gustavo Parades

Post Views: 99

THE EMBATTLED former rector of the University of Panama (UP) was a no-show at  a scheduled interrogation by  an Anticorruption prosecutor on Monday July 24.

Instead of Gustavo García de Paredes, the prosecutor investigating alleged $10 million “irregularities”  got to meet  defense  lawyer Eduardo Sequeira. Who asked for a fresh date  to respond  to questions over the rental of land at Tocumen that belonged to the University’s  Faculty of Agricultural Sciences.

The deal  according to investigators , would have caused a loss of $10 million to the UP.

Last week, the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office questioned  Garcia de Paredes in  another investigation for alleged  embezzlement, in a project of structural and electrical improvements in the Faculty of Dentistry.

 

http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/ex-rector-no-show-anticorruption-probe

[Moderator_02]

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Former University Rector Under House Arrest

Posted on August 5, 2017 in Panama

 

Gustavo-Garcia-Paredes

Post Views: 136

THE  FORMER  rector of the University of Panama,(UP),  who ruled the institution  like a personal fiefdom with his hands tightly controlling the purse strings, for over  15 years, has been placed under ho use arrest and prohibited from leaving the country.

Gustavo García de Paredes  is charged with aggravated embezzlement  related to  alleged  anomalies in the rental of 21 hectares of land  near Tocumen International Airport to  the Atlantic Pacific Consortium. The land belonged to the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences.

According to an audit carried out by the Office of the Comptroller General, the university lost  $8.5+ million in the rental of the lands.

The investigation by  the Public Ministry  was prompted by a series reports in La Prensa revealing the rents of land under the ex-rector’s administration.

He is also under investigation for alleged irregularities  in work done in the Dental Faculty.

 

http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/former-university-rector-house-arrest

[Moderator_02]

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Ex-university rector facing embezzlement probes

Posted on November 28, 2017 in Panama

 

Gustavo García de Paredes

Post Views: 130

THE FORMER Rector of the University of Panama (UP) Gustavo García de Paredes is under criminal investigation in three cases arising from his time in office.

The first to reach court in  Panama follows research into supposed anomalies in the design and execution of improvements in the Faculty of Dentistry.

Prosecutor Adecio Mojica accuses the former director of alleged embezzlement. The investigation, which began at the beginning of this year, reveals a possible impact on heritage of the UP for civil works and electricity in the Faculty of Dentistry, which had to be carried out in 2013 and were not done. A forensic audit of the Comptroller General determined a possible patrimonial injury of $37,000.

The Comptroller’s report details that purchase orders for materials and other equipment, were issued but these were not used in the work.

When he went to the prosecutor’s office for questioning, García de Paredes denied the accusations and sais: “Everything is working perfectly in the Dental School” The former  rector  he remains under  house arrest and cannot leave the country as part of another case under  the Anticorruption Prosecutor for alleged anomalies in the rental to the Pacific-Atlantic  Consortium of 21 hectares of land near Tocumen International Airport that belonged to the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences.

The ex-rector faces other processes for alleged mismanagement in his administration in the UP.

 

http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/ex-university-rector-facing-embezzlement-probes

[Moderator_02]

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Former University rector facing trial

Gustavo García de Paredes

Posted 27/02/2019

 

Gustavo García de Paredes the ex-rector of the University of Panama is facing trial at the request of The Anticorruption Prosecutor's Office. The petition made on Wednesday, February 27  is for an alleged patrimonial injury of $37,000 to the detriment of the University.

In addition to García de Paredes, the prosecutor requested the judgment of another involved party, who was not identified.

The investigation began after a report from the Comptroller General revealed alleged mismanagement in the contract for the remodeling of the School of Dentistry at the University.

García de Paredes told journalists in July 2017, that all the adjustments made in the faculty were "working perfectly".

 

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/former-university-rector-facing-trial

[Moderator_02]

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Ex-university rector awaits  embezzlement trial decision

Gustavo Garcia Parades

Posted 20/03/2019

 

The Fourteenth Criminal Judge Vilma Urieta will decide in the next 30 days whether or not to call the ex-rector of the University of Panama (UP) Gustavo García de Paredes, for an $8,5 million embezzlement case.

The investigation related to an alleged injury to the patrimony of the university after the rental of 21 hectares of land, near the Tocumen International Airport, to the Atlantic Pacific Consortium .

The announcement decision of the judge was made after concluding, on Wednesday March 20, preliminary hearing in which the ex-rector and another ex-official of the UP are charged.

In the process, the alleged commission of crimes against the public administration (embezzlement) and against the public faith is investigated for possible irregularities in the concession of the lands belonging to the UP that were leased to the Atlantic Pacific Consortium.

An audit by the  Comptroller General estimated the possible damage to the assets of the UP in the transaction for the rental of 21 hectares of land, near the Tocumen airport, to the Atlantic Pacific Consortium, led by businessman Herman Bern, at $8.5 million. .

The agreed rent was 18 cents per square meter, with a term of 40 years.

 

https://www.newsroompanama.com/business/ex-university-rector-awaits-embezzlement-trial-decision

[Moderator_02]

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Former University rector to trial on lease deal

Posted 25/08/2019

The controversial former rector of the University of Panama (UP), Gustavo García de Paredes , who once ruled the higher education center like a personal fiefdom has been called  to trial by the Fourteenth Criminal Court for the alleged commission of the crime of speculation to the detriment of the university , following a lease deal  of university landa in Tocumen to the Atlantic Pacific Consortium..

In her considerations, Judge Vilma Urieta establishes that the audit report of the Comptroller General details that the UP corresponded to the amount of $20 million in lease, over a period of 40 years, but that in the investigation It was credited that the university would not receive the full amount and that only 50% of that amount would be paid.

The ruling details that there were anomalies, among which is the absence of a calculation of the percentage of annual increase in the appraisals, which had to be requested from the Comptroller and the Ministry of Economy and Finance.

The judge mentions as evidence the fact that between 2010 and 2016 the UP received the amount of $2.3 million in rent, when it had to receive $10.8 million.

In addition, says Urieta, the public procurement law was violated.

Carlos Carrillo, lawyer of García de Paredes, , presented an amparo of guarantees against the order of appeal to trial before the Supreme Court .

Urieta also called the former director of Administrative Services of the UP, Adrián Cuevas,to trial  and issued a provisional dismissal in favor of Vicente Archibold, José Pinzón, José Humberto Santos and María del Pilar Castañón, for lack of evidence.

 

https://www.newsroompanama.com/business/former-university-rector-to-trial-on-lease-deal-1