bribes – Finance Colombia

Bribes? Kickbacks? Uribe’s Congressman From Risaralda Apparently Confesses In Campaign Speech

Loren Moss — Mon, 17 Jan 2022 09:21:50 +0000

Politicians are often called out for denying their pecadillos, but Colombian congressman Gabriel Vallejo from Alvaro Uribe’s Centro Democratico party seems to be proud of his political ethics. In a recent campaign speech with his wife at his side, the politician from Risaralda, a department in the heart of Colombia’s coffee growing region said (in Spanish):

“If it’s bad politics to ask for contracts, if it’s bad politics is to demand bribes, if a bad politician is one who demand kickbacks, if a bad politician forgets to give accounts and listen to the citizens, I am the worst politician of all!”

¡Uy venga como así! Coimas, contratos, comisiones … Ya no le da ni vergüenza al congresista Gabriel Vallejo Chujfi del CD de #Risaralda aceptar su actuar. pic.twitter.com/sEQQuK2lgD

— Alejo Mejía Cárdenas ?? (@AlejoMejiaCar) January 12, 2022

Gabriel Jaime Vallejo Chujfi – Photo courtesy Colombian Congress

Breaking News: Former Avianca Chairman Germán Efromovich Arrested On Corruption & Bribery Charges

Loren Moss — Wed, 19 Aug 2020 15:49:22 +0000

Finance Colombia has learned that the former chairman and controlling shareholder of Avianca Airlines, Germán Efromovich has been arrested along with his brother José in Brazil as part of the multi-year, international “Lava Jato” (“Car Wash” in Portuguese) anti-corruption investigation.

According to Brazilian government sources, the Efromovich brothers were arrested today in São Paulo on charges related to fraud in the contracts between the Transpetro subsidiary of state owned petroleum company Petrobras and the Efromovich brother’s Estaleiro Ilha S.A. (EISA) shipyard in Brazil. The Efromovich brothers are accused of paying bribes and committing “irregularities” in the biding process to win contracts, costing the government approximately $110 million USD. Ilha S.A. went bankrupt in 2015.

Also read how Efromovich was ousted from Avianca Airlines (click here)

A court in Curtiba, Brasil ordered prison for the brothers, but that order was modified to house arrest with electronic surveillance due to the Coronavirus COVID-19 Pandemic. 70 year old Germán Efromovich was born in Bolivia to a family of Polish immigrants and holds Brazilian, Colombian & Polish citizenship.

The charges so far do not indicate any criminal wrongdoing related to Avianca Airlines Colombia, or Avianca Airlines Brasil, both formerly controlled by Efromovich & both now bankrupt.

Avianca Headquarters Raided By Colombia’s Prosecutor General

Loren Moss — Thu, 13 Feb 2020 20:40:40 +0000

Yesterday Colombia’s CTI (Cuerpo Tecnico de Investigación, analogous to the FBI in the US) agents served a search warrant against Colombian airliner Avianca (NYSE: AVH, BVC: PFAVH) related to a corruption investigation launched last year. The airliner finds itself entangled in multiple scandals, including the historically massive Airbus bribery prosecution, and itself admitted last year that it “may have violated the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (‘FCPA’).”

According to the airline, the search and seizure of information by the national prosecutor’s office is related to allegations and cover-up of Avianca’s potentially improper bribery by senior executives and members of the board of directors of government officials with airline tickets, upgrades and discounts; which could, under the law of some countries where Avianca operates, be against the law.

“Today, the Office of the Attorney General of Colombia served Avianca with a search warrant of its offices with the objective of collecting information related to this investigation.”

Avianca admits that the business practice was discovered in 2017 by internal auditors, but was not disclosed until the autumn of 2019, well after the former CEO and members of the previous board were dismissed and replaced.

The law firm of Ropes & Gray, contracted by the airline to investigate its role in the Airbus bribery scandal, is also conducting an investigation on behalf of the airline into these potential legal violations. Apparently, Avianca will also need to retain criminal counsel. In addition to these legal complications in Colombia, the potential bribery has also been reported by the airline to the U.S. Department of Justice and the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Avianca, in a statement shared with Finance Colombia said: “As has been its practice, Avianca has cooperated and will continue to cooperate with all pertinent authorities. Avianca will provide the information being requested to the Office of the Attorney General of Colombia, while exercising its legal rights to ensure that its confidential and privileged information remains protected.”