MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Former Paraguayan President under probe for corruption

The investigation against Abdo was prompted by a report on an Argentine website

Paraguay's Public Prosecutor's Office has opened a criminal investigation into former President Mario Abdo Benítez and his wife, Silvana López Moreira, for the alleged concealment of assets. The investigation was prompted by reports from an Argentine outlet claiming that the former president had hidden assets in tax havens, such as the Seychelles.

Prosecutor Natalia Cacavelos of the Specialized Unit for Economic Crimes and Anti-Corruption has requested reports from the Secretariat for the Prevention of Money Laundering (Seprelad) to investigate financial transactions involving the Abdos. The inquiry focuses on their links to legal entities abroad, as well as bank transfers from financial institutions in Dubai and Hong Kong, where they are allegedly the final beneficiaries.

The prosecutor's office is relying on international cooperation to gather the necessary financial intelligence to advance the investigation. Cacavelos' undertakings have been carried out based on information arising from the noticia criminis, noting that the investigation is ex officio. Seprelad head Liliana Alcaraz is affiliated with the Cartismo branch within the ruling Colorado Party, a rival faction of Abdo's line.

“The legal classification made by the complaints office regarding the incident is provisional, and the prosecutor may modify or expand it, depending on the outcome of the investigation,” the Attorney General's Office wrote.

On July 20, Argentine journalist Luis Gasulla published on the website Periodismo y Punto that Abdo had US$21 million hidden in Seychelles. The former president is under suspicion due to serious financial irregularities.