DATE=6/11/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-250537
TITLE=MEXICAN BANKERS/DRUG MONEY (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=MIKE O'SULLIVAN
DATELINE=LOS ANGELES
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: A U-S JURY IN LOS ANGELES (LATE THURSDAY) HAS CONVICTED
THREE MEXICAN BANKERS OF CONCEALING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN
PROFITS FROM LATIN AMERICAN DRUG CARTELS. THE JURY ALSO
ACQUITTED THREE OTHER MEXICAN NATIONALS OF THE MONEY-LAUNDERING
CHARGES. V-O-A'S MIKE O'SULLIVAN REPORTS THE CASE FOLLOWS A
THREE-YEAR STING CALLED "OPERATION CASABLANCA," AND HAS STRAINED
RELATIONS BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND MEXICO.
TEXT: THE THREE CONVICTED IN THE CASE WERE JOSE REYES ORTEGA
GONZALES, A BANK MANAGER FROM TEPATITLAN, MEXICO -- MANUEL
BARRANZA LEON, A BANK MANAGER IN TIJUANA -- AND A TIJUANA LAWYER
WHO REPRESENTED SEVERAL BANKS, ALFONSO LABRADA GURROLA. THE
THREE WERE FOUND GUILTY OF CONSIPIRACY AND MONEY LAUNDERING.
THE JURY FOUND THREE OTHERS, INCLUDING TWO MEXICO CITY STOCK
BROKERS, NOT GUILTY.
AUTHORITIES HAD ACCUSED ALL SIX OF ACCEPTING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS
IN FUNDS FROM THE CALI DRUG CARTEL OF COLOMBIA AND MEXICO'S
JUAREZ CARTEL. THEY SAID THE DEFENDANTS THEN REISSUED DRAFTS ON
THE U-S ACCOUNTS OF SEVERAL MEXICAN BANKS TO DISGUISE THE SOURCE
OF THE FUNDS. U-S OFFICIALS SAY THE MEXICANS EARNED COMMISSIONS
OF ONE TO TWO PERCENT ON EACH TRANSACTION.
IN MAY OF LAST YEAR, U-S AGENTS ARRESTED 167 PEOPLE.
ONE-HUNDRED-TEN OF THEM WERE FINALLY INDICTED.
OFFICIALS IN MEXICO WERE OUTRAGED WHEN THEY LEARNED THAT PART OF
A THREE-YEAR OPERATION WHICH LED TO THE INDICTMENTS TOOK PLACE IN
MEXICO, WITHOUT NOTIFICATION OF THE MEXICAN GOVERNMENT.
U-S OFFICIALS WERE ALSO CRITICIZED FOR PAYING ONE INFORMANT TWO
MILLION DOLLARS. THE INFORMANT MAY RECEIVE SEVERAL MILLION MORE
FOR HIS COOPERATION.
THE CASE WAS BASED ON MORE THAN 100 HOURS OF SECRETLY TAPED
CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN UNDERCOVER AGENTS, WHO POSED AS DRUG
TRAFFICKERS, AND THE DEFENDANTS. A LAWYER FOR ONE DEFENDANT WHO
WAS ACQUITTED IN THE CASE, MEXICO CITY STOCKBROKER KATY KISSEL
BELFER, ARGUED HIS CLIENT AGREED TO LAUNDER THE FUNDS BECAUSE SHE
THOUGHT SHE MAY BE KILLED IF SHE REFUSED. ANOTHER LAWYER SAID
MUCH OF THE VIDEOTAPED EVIDENCE WAS INCONCLUSIVE.
THIS WAS THE FIRST OF FOUR TRIALS TO RESULT FROM OPERATION
CASABLANCA. ELEVEN OTHER DEFENDANTS CAUGHT IN THE STING
OPERATION SUBMITTED GUILTY PLEAS BEFORE GOING TO TRIAL.
/// REST OPT ///
THOM MROZEK (MUH'ROH-ZEK) OF THE U-S ATTORNEY'S OFFICE SAYS A
NUMBER OF OTHERS HAVE NOT BEEN APPREHENDED.
/// MORZEK ACT ///
THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY TWENTY FUGITIVES IN THIS CASE
WHO ARE BELIEVED TO BE IN MEIXCO. ABOUT FIVE OF
THOSE ARE IN CUSTODY IN MEXICO AND MEXICO HAS PLEDGED
TO PROSECUTE THOSE PEOPLE UNDER MEXICAN LAW.
/// END ACT ///
MEXICO, HOWEVER, WILL NOT EXTRADITE THE FIVE TO THE UNITED
STATES.
OTHER SUSPECTS, INCLUDING SEVERAL BANKERS FROM VENEZUELA, WILL
FACE TRIAL LATER THIS YEAR.
TWO OF MEXICO'S LARGEST BANKS (GRUPO FINANCIERO BANCOMER AND
GRUPO FINANCIERO SERFIN) WILL FORFEIT FUNDS SEIZED BY OFFICIALS
IN U-S BANKS, AND HAVE AGREED TO PAY CRIMINAL FINES. A THIRD
BANK (BANCA CONFIA) WILL FORFEIT TWELVE MILLION DOLLARS IN U-S
HOLDINGS UNDER A SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT. (SIGNED)
NEB/PT
11-Jun-99 3:46 PM EDT (1946 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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