Skimm
Skimmed while cuddling with my puppies and watching Elf.
He Has Been Captured
The Story
The police in Spain have just arrested the suspect that is believed to be the mastermind behind the corruption scandal that has shaken up the political arena in Brazil.
What happened?
The Car Wash Investigation going on in Brazil is looking into a major money laundering scandal. A man, whose identity has yet to be revealed, has been arrested on the grounds of creating the kickback scheme with Brazilian oil and construction companies. The press has identified him as being around the age of 43 and has the initials R.T.D, but other details have yet to be released. They were able to make the arrest in Spain after the suspect fled Brazil to the United States then to Spain. He faces charges of money laundering, organized crime and bribery. The scheme involved bribing Brazilian public officials in order for private companies to receive public works contracts. The suspect was the lawyer for the construction company Odebretch. The team is suspected of laundering more than $15 million from Petrobas through the political parties of Brazil. This past week the former state governor of Rio, Sergio Cabral, was also arrested after suspected of being in connection with the scandal.
What’s next?
This scandal has caused Brazilians to take to the streets and protest. I am sure as the investigation deepens more people will be found guilty. This should act as motivation to further push for government reform in Brazil. There will also be court hearings and trials to determine the involvement, guilt, and sentence the mastermind will receive.
1800 lbs Can Get a Life Sentence
The Story
This past Friday Franqui Francisco Flores de Freitas, 31, and Efrain Antonio Campo Flores, 30, the two nephews of the Venezuelan first lady, Clilia Flores, were tried for drug charges in United States federal courts.
What happened?
Last year the two men were arrested in Haiti and transferred to the US once they were caught conspiring to smuggle almost 1,800 pounds of cocaine into the United States. This was achieved through the DEA and the BLTS, the drug law enforcement of Haiti, pairing up to take down the duo. The prosecutors presented 14 eyewitnesses, which included a few DEA agents, a member of the BLTS, and several data analysts. Audio, video and pictures were also used by prosecutors to prove the guilt of Flores and Freitas. The most compelling evidence the prosecution presented was a video recording of a meeting that took place in Honduras. The recording captured the planning of transporting a private jet full of cocaine from Venezuela to Honduras. The defense attorney tried to deny the credibility of the evidence and the informants, two of whom are current inmates and convicted for their own drug crimes, claiming that they were unreliable. The defense also posed the argument that at the time of the arrest the officers did not find cash or cocaine on the defendants.
What’s next?
The press is waiting to hear what Venezuelan officials have to say about this wide scale drug operation. The sentencing date is set for March 7, 2017 with both defendants facing a sentence of life in prison.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-38064353
http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/19/us/venezuela-president-family-convicted-drugs/index.html
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-38036248