Although he says the case is not being prosecuted because the 1998 Penal Code applies to them and not the current one, they are nevertheless seeking a conviction in the civil order and a refund of $ 10,000,000.
The Attorney General’s Office (FGR) reported this morning that it has asked Elías Antonio Treu, Joan Tenant Wright and Gerardo Balzareti Kriete, accused of money laundering in the so-called Taiwan case, to be definitively suspended in criminal proceedings. . However, he will ask for the money they allegedly embezzled from the funds donated by Taiwan to be returned.
The statement of the Prosecutor’s Office was made prior to the preliminary hearing (before a trial), the celebration was scheduled in the Second Court of Instruction of San Salvador.
Treu and the other two defendants are accused of embezzling $ 10,000,000 from funds donated by China Taiwan as aid for the victims of the 2001 earthquakes, during the government of Francisco Flores.
# CasoChinaTaiwán I Prosecutor’s statements of the case on the Preliminary Hearing against three defendants in the misappropriation of $ 10,000,000.00 dollars given by China-Taiwan, and embezzled from the public treasury by the defendants. pic.twitter.com/9VBwmZZuF5
– Attorney General’s Office of the Republic of El Salvador (@FGR_SV) August 23, 2021
But this case would have already prescribed the criminal action in correspondence with the previous Penal Code, according to the same Prosecutor’s Office.
“In the criminal order under the judgment made by the Criminal Chamber in June 2020, the final dismissal of the defendants is being requested by virtue of having prescribed the criminal action in this case because it is resolved with the Penal Code that it was in effect in 1998 where the maximum term that prescription set out in that code is 10 years not like now that it is 15 years, ”the prosecutor said.
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However, the prosecutor said that in civil order the conviction is being sought and the state should be compensated. In short, that the money allegedly diverted from the donation be returned.
The prosecutor said that they have presented testimonial, documentary and expert evidence with which they support the tax thesis, and that the amount requested by the Prosecutor’s Office to be returned is $ 10,000,000.
But the hearing was rescheduled for August 25 due to the absence of one of the defendants (Balzareti) due to health problems, but the hearing will be held virtually, both for the defense Balzaretti but in more by Treu, who alleged transfer problems and risk conditions for the coronavirus.